The Salvation Army in Summerside has handed out all the money in its provincially-funded fuel assistance program, and the Charlottetown program is close to its limit too.
Lt. Ian Scott told CBC News Monday, despite having more money to give out this year and the mild winter, the assistance was spoken for even more quickly than last year. The Salvation Army also was more stringent with who qualifies this year.
"It's a tough situation. It really is. You know, there's tears and crying every day," said Scott.
"Every situation's different. And every situation really is desperate. By the time people have built up the courage to come to us, in a lot of cases, they're at the end of their rope. And so it's, it's a heavy heart, and a tough conversation sometimes."
Scott said 95 homes in Summerside have had a free tankload of heating oil, and 175 homes in the Charlottetown area would get assistance. If the Charlottetown program did not run out of money at the end of last week, Scott said it would happen Monday or Tuesday.
Scott said higher fuel prices and long wait times to receive unemployment insurance could be some of the reasons the money has been handed out more quickly this year. Awareness of the program, he said, is also increasing.
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