Local Non-Profit Surprised by Cancellation of Popular EnerGuide for Houses Program

Hearthmakers Energy Co-operative, a local non-profit group, was shocked to find an email waiting for them Friday morning from the federal government informing them that it was cancelling all contracts effective immediately for the popular EnerGuide for Houses program delivered in the region since 2000. "Earlier in the week we were advised the Conservatives had pulled longer term funding out of the grant program, but now they have cancelled the home evaluation contract due to run till March 2007" advises Program Manager Steve Walker. "This is a major step backwards; I don't understand their thinking on this one."

Canada's world-renowned state-of-the-art EnerGuide for Houses program was conceived in the early 90s and launched in 1998 after years of development. Since then, hundreds of Canadian businesses and organizations have invested heavily in making EGH a success, explaining the service to homeowners, forming countless partnerships to help with delivery, and training and equipping an army of certified energy advisors. Today, a network of 50 service organizations, primarily private contractors, has been established in communities across the country. Provincial governments and utilities have created numerous programs that piggy-back on the federal EnerGuide program.

Hearthmakers Energy Co-operative has performed over 2,200 evaluations under the program, and in 2005 helped local homeowners receive a total of $241,600 in grants for their energy efficiency upgrade efforts. The average individual grant amounted to $869, with retrofits focusing on installing high efficiency furnaces, improving insulation levels, and draft proofing.

Participants in the EGH Retrofit Incentive save an average of 28 per cent on their energy bills. That's $750 a year — or $18,750 in lifetime savings at current energy prices. Besides saving money, EGH also leverages home improvement investments ($5,000–$7,000 per grant) that create hundreds of jobs and business opportunities, and generate tax revenues for government.

"There are still thousands of inefficient, poorly insulated houses in the region that could have benefited by going through the EnerGuide for Houses program" according to Walker. "Regrettably, the government has seen to it that they will not get that opportunity."

Anyone who has already had an initial EnerGuide evaluation will still be eligible for the grant, provided that they file their application before March 31, 2007. However that is no guarantee they will receive the funds owed to them by the incentive program. "Since the grant is set up as a first-come, first-served basis, we are encouraging people to book their follow-up evaluation sooner than later" said Walker.

Hearthmakers is a member of Green Communities Canada, a national association of non-profit organizations. Clifford Maynes is the Executive Director. "The government's cancellation of these popular, effective programs is very bad news for residential energy efficiency in this country," said Maynes. "The government has a responsibility to keep them in place at least until it has something better to replace them with," he said.

"EGH contributes to our national energy security. And because less energy is consumed, EGH reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that effect climate change. Canadians care about a healthy environment, and improved home energy efficiency is one way for us all to contribute," Maynes said.

Aside from ending the evaluation contracts, two major grant programs have been cancelled. EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive (EGHRI) provides performance-based grants to homeowners who make energy efficiency investments in their homes. EnerGuide for Low Income Households (EGLIH), a new program launched in 2006, pays the full cost of energy efficiency upgrades for qualifying low-income households.

"These are exactly the sort of energy efficiency programs we would expect the new government in Ottawa to embrace," Maynes said: "practical, positive, cost-effective, and accountable."

Despite the lack of government support, Hearthmakers is determined to continue offering advice to homeowners who missed out on the EnerGuide for Houses program. Contact them to enquire about a new energy evaluation service they are implementing.

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