Energy costs will in generally increase for many factors. The prime one is it basically is a captive market.

Any one segment of the various forms of energy increases the others play catch up. I cannot say greed is rampant but what the market will bear is a more serious consideration by suppliers than ever.

The low average heating bills quoted so far would be appreciated up here in eastern Canada by many. One hundred and seventy dollars a month is a common electrical bill for houses with no electric heating today here. So forget electric baseboard or radiant heating.

The same house on oil if reasonably efficient may burn 500.00 a month in heating oil. Natural gas has had five price increase this winter. Air to air heat pumps are selling like crazy.

The average winter temperature is probably not much lower than many areas of the northern states either. Perhaps quite a bit warmer than some. The temperature is moderated by so much water surrounding the area. I have no ideal how the average person with modest income is bearing up with all the relatively new increases in essential costs. They have to feel like they are going backward because they are.

A word of warning from an older retiree. You should plan for this scenario where possible. Straight pensions may just Keep you alive basically. Do what is required to make retirement more comforatable earlier than later.

You cannot use todays costs as a yardstick for tomorrow. Yet the practice prevails I believe. We understand a percentage of older people cannot even afford to stop working at retirement age now.

Our personal costs of living are very low in comparison to many. This did not happen accidentally. As a result we have a healthy ongoing surplus. We have been blessed with good coincidence for a long time as a couple. I have no idea of why we are or have been deserving of this. I do have some unproven suspicions though. It seems to persist whatever the reason is though so far.