The province is putting its new Climate Change Strategy into action by investing $100 million from the Ontario Green Investment Fund to take advantage of the economic and job opportunities in clean technologies and to help homeowners reduce their energy bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
In partnership with Enbridge Gas Distribution and Union Gas, the program will help about 37,000 homeowners conduct audits to identify energy-saving opportunities and then complete retrofits, such as replacing furnaces, water heaters and upgrading insulation. It will also help spur innovation and create jobs in clean energy industries. Full program details, including program start date, eligible project details and amounts, will be available in the coming months.
Energy efficiency retrofits can save natural gas consumers money on their energy bills. “Improving energy efficiency in the home is one of the most important actions we can take in the fight against climate change,” Glen Murray, Minister of Environment and Climate Change said. Historically, every dollar invested in natural gas efficiency has resulted in $1.50 to $4 in savings for natural gas consumers.
Ontario’s Green Investment Fund is a $325-million down payment on the province’s cap and trade program to strengthen the economy, create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2014, Enbridge Gas Distribution and Union Gas residential energy efficiency programs resulted in a 500,000 tonne reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This new $100 million investment is expected to save an equivalent of 1.6 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
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