Energy Retrofit Program Coming Back

Now that the Conservatives have decided they need to pay some attention to the environment, they're bringing back a program to give grants to homeowners to retrofit their homes to make them more energy efficient. The government is putting $300 million over four years into the ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative, which will include

• a $220 million retrofit program for homeowners and small and medium businesses to make improvements in energy efficiency with grants of up to $5000
• $60 million to encourage construction of more energy-efficient buildings and houses
• $20 million to help industry deal with energy efficiency.

The retrofit program is a variation on the Liberal EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive Program cancelled by the Conservatives last May as part of its review of climate change budgets at Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada.

Details on the ecoENERGY Retrofit program, including information about how to apply for ecoENERGY grants, will be available when the new program starts in April 2007.

More on Energy Conservation in Canada
ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative - Backgrounder - Natural Resources Canada
Green Homes to Get Rebate - Toronto Star
Ottawa Unveils Plan for Energy Rebate - The Globe and Mail
Home Energy Plan to Omit Expert Audits - The Ottawa Citizen