Marking One Year with the ecoENERGY Renewable Initiatives

February 05, 2021

Just a little over one year ago, on January 23, 2006, Canadians chose change by electing a new Government, following thirteen years of scandal and inaction. A great deal has happened since Canada’s New Government took office and Prime Minister Harper, as well as our Government, continue to get things done for Canadian families and taxpayers. Our Government has marked this significant anniversary by introducing the ecoENERGY Renewable Initiatives, as part of its plan to move forward on practical, realistic, and achievable strategies for protecting the environment.

The ecoENERGY Initiatives are a set of focused measures to help Canadians use energy more efficiently, to boost renewable energy supplies, and to develop cleaner energy technologies. Initiatives to date include:

1. the ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative, which will give approximately $300 million to promote smarter energy use, including the new ecoENERGY Retrofit Program, which supports energy-efficiency improvements in homes, small buildings and industries;
2. The ecoENERGY Technology Initiative, a $230-million investment in energy Science and Technology to fund the research, development and demonstration of clean energy technologies; and
3. The ecoENERGY Renewable Initiative, an investment of more than $1.5 billion to boost Canada's renewable energy supplies.

The ecoENERGY Renewable Initiative is comprised of two components. The first component, ecoENERGY for Renewable Power, will invest $1.48 billion to boost Canada’s supply of clean electricity from renewable sources, such as wind, biomass, small hydro, and ocean energy. A ten-year incentive program will be established to fund eligible projects to be constructed over the next four years. The second component, ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat, will provide more than $35 million in incentives and industry support, to increase the adoption of clean, renewable thermal technologies for water and space heating in buildings, such as solar air and hot water heating. In addition, projects for residential solar heating technologies will be explored with partners such as utilities and community organizations.

The ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative will promote smarter energy use and will reduce the amount of harmful emissions that affect the health of Canadians. Furthermore, the Initiative will encourage Canadian homeowners, businesses and industry, as well as the building/renovations sector to use energy more wisely. The ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative has the following three components:

• The $220-million ecoENERGY Retrofit program will offer homeowners, along with smaller businesses and organizations, the support and information they need to retrofit their homes, buildings and industrial processes.
• The $60-million ecoENERGY for Buildings and Houses will encourage the construction and retrofit of more energy-efficient buildings and houses.
• The $20-million ecoENERGY for Industry program aims to accelerate energy-saving investments and the exchange of best practices information within Canada's industrial sector.

Program details, including information about how to apply for ecoENERGY grants, will be available when the program starts in April 2007.

The ecoENERGY Technology Initiative will foster the next generation of clean technologies to break through to emissions-free energy production and energy use. The Initiative’s aim is to accelerate the development and market-readiness of technology solutions in clean energy. It will ensure that Canadians and future generations have clean air, water, land, and energy. Furthermore, it is built on key priorities that include carbon dioxide sequestration, clean coal, clean oil sands production and renewable energy. The provinces and the industry sector will be encouraged to make more investments in science and technology to deliver results for the production of clean energy.

Since taking office a little over one year ago, our Government continues to deliver real results for Canadians. The ecoENERGY Initiatives are just another example of the efforts our Government is making to get things done for Canadians, while helping Canadians use energy more efficiently and to reduce harmful air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. For more information on any of the Initiatives mentioned above, please visit http://ecoenergy-ecoenergie.gc.ca or my website at www.davidtilson.ca.