Canada Invests in Energy Efficiency Retrofits in Canadian Municipalities

VANCOUVER, March 14, 2019 /CNW/ - One of the greatest opportunities for Canada is the shift toward clean growth. Energy efficiency boosts competitiveness, lowers costs, maximizes profits and helps protect our environment. Promoting and rewarding energy-efficient practices are key components of Canada's approach to a clean energy future.

Member of Parliament for South Surrey–White Rock, Gordie Hogg, on behalf of Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, today announced a $600,000 investment for the Pembina Institute to support two energy efficiency retrofit projects. These projects will lower energy costs, reduce pollution and support future energy efficiency retrofits in other Canadian municipalities.

Through the Energy Efficiency Program, our government invested $200,000 to develop a pilot program for energy retrofits of B.C.'s social housing stock. In partnership with the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association and the City of Vancouver, the Affordable Housing Renewal Pilot Program will retrofit up to five social housing complexes on the Lower Mainland.

Upon completion of the pilot project, the remaining $400,000 will go toward five to eight additional municipalities across Canada that are looking to develop strategies to retrofit their multi-unit residential building stock.

Retrofitting homes and buildings to make them more energy-efficient lowers costs, reduces maintenance requirements, creates a more pleasant living environment and increases the value of the home or building, all while reducing environmental footprints.

Energy-efficient buildings are part of Canada's Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, through which our government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes and Canada's rural and northern communities.

Through Generation Energy, Canada's national energy dialogue, Canadians expressed that they want to see Canada continuing to be a leader in the transition to a clean growth economy. Canada will continue to support innovative projects that create jobs, improve industry competitiveness, cut pollution and help address climate change.

Quotes

"Energy efficiency is one of the quickest, cleanest and cheapest ways to meet our international climate change commitments. Our government is proud to work with Pembina on retrofit projects that will help advance our clean energy future."

Gordie Hogg
Member of Parliament for South Surrey–White Rock

"Addressing the climate emergency requires us to eliminate carbon pollution from our homes and buildings by 2050. We need cheaper, faster ways to re-insulate our buildings, make them air tight and switch them to clean fuels. Working with social housing providers, governments, manufacturers, construction companies and financing institutions, we can seed these deep energy retrofit solutions across the country and create affordable, safe and comfortable low-carbon homes for some of our most vulnerable people."

Tom-Pierre Frappé-Sénéclauze 
Director of Buildings and Urban Solutions, Pembina Institute

Related Information

• Energy Efficiency
• Retrofitting
• Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
• Investing in Canada Plan Project Map

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

For further information: Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6100, [e-mail]; Vanessa Adams, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 343-543-7645, [e-mail]

Related Links

www.nrcan.gc.ca