Depending on where they live, British Columbians can receive rebates of up to $19,000 toward installing heat pumps under a joint federal-provincial initiative.
Up to $255 million with B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 share being up to $151 million will go toward helping low and middle-income households help replace oil, propane or natural gas systems with heat pumps. The rebates and the funding arrangements behind them mirror heat pump rebates as part of a pilot project announced in late October 2023 and first rolled out in Atlantic Canada, with B.C. initially left out in the cold.
The substance as well the timing of that announcement drew criticism from provincial cabinet minister including Premier David Eby, who showed his disappointment by wearing a 香蕉视频直播淚 Heart Heat Pumps香蕉视频直播� T-shirt in media appearances.
香蕉视频直播淚 think at a minimum, fairness demands equal treatment of British Columbians,香蕉视频直播� he said in late October. 香蕉视频直播淧eople struggling with affordability around home heating face the same struggles in B.C. as in Nova Scotia, it香蕉视频直播檚 not a distinct or different struggle.香蕉视频直播�
Ottawa needs to work with B.C., Eby added.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e been, frankly, lobbying them for months to get this kind of recognition,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淪o my expectation is that they will meet us in delivering that program for British Columbians just like they do Nova Scotians.香蕉视频直播�
The moment appeared to have come Monday as Steven Guilbeault, federal environment minister, and Jonathan Wilkinson, federal energy minister, joined George Heyman, B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 environment minister, and Josie Osborne, B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 energy minister, to announce the rebates.
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Eligible British Columbians could receive rebates of up $16,000, with those living in northern B.C. eligible for another $3,000 if they qualify.
Wilkinson said British Columbians are treated the same on a per-capita basis as residents of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
香蕉视频直播淭his is not a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease,香蕉视频直播� Wilkinson said. 香蕉视频直播淲e have made it clear that we were interested in working with all provinces and territories to develop plans to address the oil-to-heat-pump-issue and put in place agreements under the Low Carbon Economy Fund, which is under the purview of my colleague Minister Guilbeault,香蕉视频直播� he said. He added other agreements could be forthcoming.
香蕉视频直播淭he announcement today is actually broader than what we have announced with Nova Scotia and Newfoundland,香蕉视频直播� Wilkinson said. It also allows people using propane or natural gas systems 香蕉视频直播� rather than just heating oil 香蕉视频直播� to switch, Wilkinson added.
香蕉视频直播淭he issue of oil-to-heat-pumps was actually not a political decision,香蕉视频直播� Wilkinson said, when asked if today香蕉视频直播檚 announcement was about shoring up federal Liberal support in urban British Columbia. 香蕉视频直播淚t was a decision to actually try to help folks, who were paying three to four times the cost of natural gas,香蕉视频直播� Wilkinson said.
He added that the program is open to all provinces and territories.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 up to provincial governments to take advantage of that,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淪o yes, I香蕉视频直播檓 very pleased that (B.C.) is taking advantage of it, because I香蕉视频直播檓 very pleased that people are going to be saving money on their energy bills and I香蕉视频直播檓 very pleased that people are going to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.香蕉视频直播�
Heyman linked Monday香蕉视频直播檚 announcement to other agreements with Ottawa advancing common goals.
香蕉视频直播淚t assists British Columbians with affordability as well as with香蕉视频直播eating costs.香蕉视频直播�
