Regional Homeowners Receive $240K in Federal Grants in 2005

Homeowners in Eastern Ontario participating in the federal EnerGuide for Houses program were awarded a total of $241,600 in grants for their energy efficiency upgrade efforts in 2005. The average individual grant amounted to $869, with retrofits focusing on installing high efficiency furnaces, improving insulation levels, and draft proofing. The space heating improvements will also reduce energy consumption in the homes by an average of 39%.

"This benefits the community on many levels," claims Hearthmakers Energy Co-operative's Program Manager, Steve Walker, "not only do the improvements combat rising energy costs for homeowners, but for every dollar in grant money, four are spent locally on contractor services and supplies, representing about a million dollars in 2005 alone"

The environment is also a big winner. Greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by over 1300 tonnes based on the 2005 improvements to local houses. According to Tim Laprade, the City of Kingston's One Tonne Challenge Coordinator "It is encouraging to see that local residents are interested in making changes to their homes that not only result in financial savings but will have a positive impact on the environment"

EnerGuide for Houses has been in existence since 1998, and interest in the program has increased dramatically since Natural Resources Canada launched a grant program in October 2003, based on how much a homeowner increased their EnerGuide rating between a pre-retrofit and post-retrofit evaluation. The grant amount varies from $215–$4580 depending on the improvement level. The federal government is funding the program with the goal of having 20% of Canadian homes upgraded by 2010, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping to meet their Kyoto emission reduction targets.

Hearthmakers is a Kingston-based not-for-profit organization covering the Trenton to Brockville corridor and has been a licensed EnerGuide for Houses delivery agent since 2001, having performed over 2000 EnerGuide evaluations in the region. Currently they have five Certified Energy Advisors, four based in Kingston, and one based in the Quinte region.

For more information, visit our EnerGuide page or contact us.