MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - The
Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI)
announced that its efforts, combined with those of other related associations
such as the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) and the
Siding and Window Dealers Association of Canada (SAWDAC), appear to have
influenced a Canadian federal government decision to reinstate the ecoENERGY
for Homes retrofit program, reversing a decision made a year ago to terminate
the program on April 1, 2011.
The federal budget, introduced in
March, included a $400 million commitment to extend funding for the program by
another year. Though the budget was defeated, forcing a spring election campaign,
the reinstatement of the ecoENERGY program has emerged as a central element in
the campaigns of the Conservative, Liberal, and NDP parties.
According to HRAI, it now appears
the federal parties are almost competing to show who can come up with the best
version of the program. HRAI provided the following descriptions of each
party’s plan:
• The federal Conservatives are
promising $400 million in funding, but only for one year (for now). However,
because participation levels even at the peak of the program were around
200,000 homes per year, it is expected that only about two-thirds of this
commitment would be spent.
• The Liberals are proposing a
program that would pay 15 percent of the actual costs of energy-efficient home
renovations (including new equipment) up to a total of $13,500 per household,
i.e., a maximum of $2,025 in grants, compared to a $5,000 limit under the Tory
plan. The average claim under the old program was $1,300. The Liberals also
propose to pay half the cost of the home energy evaluation. The Liberals are
proposing to spend $2 billion over five years.
• The NDP are less detailed in
their proposed approach, promising only to “introduce a permanent Eco-energy
retrofit program to cut home heating bills, reduce greenhouse gases and create
jobs,” while at the same time introducing a home heating federal sales tax
rebate.
HRAI continued, “It appears likely
then, that some form of ecoENERGY program will be re-introduced this year,
though how soon after the election is concluded is anyone’s guess.”
HRAI supported a concerted PR
effort (“Save ecoENERGY”) spearheaded by Building Insight Technologies,
Vancouver, B.C. The campaign was also supported by the North American
Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA-Canada), the Siding and Window
Dealers Association of Canada (SAWDAC) and Green Communities. The campaign
generated a great deal of media interest in the build-up to the budget and
election announcements. Much of this media attention has been documented on the
website saveecoenergy.ca.
HRAI will continue to partner with
other groups to influence key federal and provincial decision-makers. A brief
is being developed that will be presented to the new government in May with
some recommendations for how to proceed with this important program.
For more information, contact
Martin Luymes at 800-267-2231 ext. 235 or e-mail mluymes@hrai.ca.
Publication date:04/18/2011
Report Abusive Comment