OTTAWA, ON, April 6, 2022 /CNW/ - Natural Resources Canada
Helping people make their homes more energy-efficient fights climate change and creates good jobs, all while helping homeowners save on their monthly energy bills. That's why the Government of Canada launched the Canada Greener Homes Grant initiative in May 2021 to help up to 700,000 Canadian homeowners upgrade their homes.
Today, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a total investment of over $4.2 million for eight organizations. This funding will help recruit, train and mentor up to 690 new energy advisors across Canada and upskill up to 110 existing ones. It is part of a greater $10-million call for proposals to train up to an additional 2,000 energy advisors.
The investments include:
- $1.15 million to SaskPower in Regina, Saskatchewan;
- $681,000 to the Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology in Thunder Bay, Ontario;
- $675,000 to NorQuest College in Edmonton, Alberta;
- $624,000 to the Government of Yukon in Whitehorse, Yukon;
- $359,000 to the Canadian Institute for Energy Training in Toronto, Ontario;
- $300,000 to Ecotrust Canada in Prince Rupert, British Columbia;
- $227,000 to EnviroCentre in Ottawa, Ontario; and
- $190,000 to the Ecofitt Corporation in Newfoundland and Labrador.
These federal investments will support the delivery of energy advisor training programs to prepare candidates, including those from under-represented groups, to pass the exams required to become energy advisors. They will also provide practical hands-on training and mentorship opportunities to candidates and newly registered energy advisors.
Energy advisors are the backbone of the Canada Greener Homes Grant. To ensure retrofits improve a home's energy efficiency and homeowners know about their retrofit options, an energy advisor must conduct a pre-retrofit and post-retrofit EnerGuide home energy evaluation. The Greener Homes initiative's immense popularity — with over 180,000 homeowners applying in just under a year — has led to a major demand for new energy advisors.
According to the International Energy Agency, energy efficiency measures could get the world one-third of the way toward the Paris 2030 targets and help us reach net-zero emissions by 2050. With buildings, including our homes, accounting for 18 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, retrofitting existing homes — with the help of highly trained energy advisors — is one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"Investing in more energy advisors will not only ensure the successful delivery of the Canada Greener Homes Grant but will also create sustainable, high-quality jobs in communities across the country. Retrofitting homes and buildings is essential work to help Canadians save on energy bills, lower emissions and build a net-zero economy by 2050."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Natural Resources
"Our government is pleased to invest in eight projects across the country to increase the availability of energy advisors. These professionals help homeowners gain a better understanding of their home's energy efficiency and recommend retrofits to lower energy use and utility bills. This is how we get to net zero and create the sustainable jobs of the future."
Julie Dabrusin
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
- To access the initiative, homeowners must apply through Natural Resources Canada's Greener Homes portal to confirm their eligibility and are then connected with a service organization to complete a pre-retrofit home evaluation — a crucial component to inform homeowners of the best retrofit opportunities in each unique situation.
- Once homeowners have completed a recommended retrofit, a post-retrofit evaluation is conducted and NRCan processes payment of the grant to the recipient.
- To date, the initiative has received over 150,000 direct applications, and up to 50,000 homeowners may be eligible and are participating in partner programs in Quebec and Nova Scotia. The Greener Homes initiative has therefore received applications for over 25 percent of its intended grants in just the first year of its seven-year lifespan.
- With buildings — including homes — accounting for 18 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, initiatives like this are an important component of Canada's commitment to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 while creating sustainable jobs in every region of the country.
- The Canada Greener Homes initiative will deliver up to 1.5 megatonnes in emissions reduction annually by 2026 and is expected to generate over 110,000 direct and indirect jobs across Canada, building on the more than 436,000 direct jobs the energy efficiency sector accounted for in 2018.
- The federal government has funded the development of the DiscoverEE Hub — an online portal to help Canadians join the energy efficiency industry and become energy advisors. The hub was designed and is operated in partnership with Efficiency Canada.
- Canada Greener Homes Grant
- Canada Investing $10 Million to Create Jobs for New Energy Advisors
- Prime Minister announces Canada's strengthened climate plan to protect the environment, create jobs, and support communities
- A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy
- Fall Economic Statement 2020: Supporting Canadians and Fighting COVID-19
- SaskPower
- Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology
- NorQuest College
- Government of Yukon
- Canadian Institute for Energy Training
- Ecotrust Canada
- EnviroCentre
- Ecofitt Corporation
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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada
Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 343-292-6100, [email protected]; Keean Nembhard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 613-323-7892, [email protected]
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