Ontario plan to help homeowners cut energy bills is hot air: critics
$100 million plan to help Ontario homeowners cut energy bills and greenhouse gases slammed as vague after no details released
Thestar.com
Feb. 4, 2016
By Rob Ferguson
A new $100 million program to help Ontario homeowners cut energy bills and greenhouse gases is a lot of hot air, critics said Thursday after no details were provided on how people can qualify for the cash.
Environment and Climate Change Minister Glen Murray announced the fund for retrofits and creating jobs in the clean technology sector is aimed at 37,000 homeowners who are customers of Enbridge Gas and Union Gas.
But that’s a fraction of the homes in the province.
“There are four million houses in Ontario,” said NDP energy critic Peter Tabuns, who accused the Liberals of “making a vague announcement to get a splash in the byelection” next Thursday in Whitby-Oshawa.
“If they want to actually help people they’re going to have to invest in a bigger way and provide more detail.”
Murray touted the program as a way to help homeowners get audits to identify energy-saving opportunities like replacing old furnaces and water heaters and upgrading information.
“Improving energy efficiency in the home is one of the most important actions we can take in the fight against climate change,” he said in a statement, noting the fund is expected to reduce greenhouse gases by 1.6 million tonnes.
The government acknowledged information such as how much money people can get and how they will qualify for it won’t be available for months.
Officials said a homeowner in Toronto, with a house built before 1990, could achieve $400 in energy savings with a high-efficiency heating system, attic insulation and air sealing.
The program comes as Ontario prepares to unveil a cap-and-trade program on greenhouse gas emissions.
Ontario’s goal is to slash emissions to 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. Last summer, the province’s environmental commissioner warned goals won’t be met unless the government “buckles down” and takes more firm action.
Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa Thompson said homeowners need to know how much that cap-and-trade scheme will cost them.
