B.C. announces new clean energy building rebates

A new program aimed at supporting people and communities to make the switch to clean energy and save on their energy bills was announced by the B.C. government Tuesday.

Minister of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation Josie Osborne explained the ministry is launching the Clean BC Multi-Unit Residential Building Retrofit Program in partnership with BC Hydro.

She says this program will provide rebates and energy coaching to business owners, strata councils, and equity co-op boards to undertake whole-building retrofits.

“This includes everything from heat pumps to LED lighting, electrical upgrades, to better windows and ventilation,” she said.

“Rebate amounts will depend on what retrofits and upgrades the building requires.”

Osborne says one example could be that a building is switching from fossil fuel heating to electric heat pumps and may then receive $3,000 per heat pump installed.

The minister says retrofitting buildings to make them cleaner is complex, and this program provides one-on-one advice and energy coaching to support building owners and managers in navigating the process.

The ministry expects that a typical 65-unit building could save as much as $16,250 per year, or $250 per year per suite, after switching from central gas heating to in-suite heat pumps.

“Making smart choices about how we use clean electricity has been core to our business for over 35 years,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO of BC Hydro. “Energy-efficiency programs defer the need for additional capital infrastructure, helping to keep rates affordable and offer additional flexibility to our electricity system. But equally important, programs like this one and the many others we offer provide our customers with the opportunity to save energy and money.”