Cutting pollution and making life more affordable: Government of Canada announces $101.7 million to switch to cleaner energy in Nova Scotia

 ANTIGONISH, NS, June 30, 2023 /CNW/ - Canadians are calling for action to fight climate change in a way that will build a strong economy, keep life affordable, and ensure clean air for our communities.

Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Member of Parliament for Central Nova, Nova Scotia, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced a federal investment of up to $101.7 million from Canada's Low Carbon Economy Fund to reduce energy costs and support climate action, building a strong economy in Nova Scotia. 

The funding will be divided into two parts: 

• Up to $60.5 million for provincial Home Heating Oil Transition programming to support lower-income homeowners' move from home heating oil to more affordable low-emitting heating technologies, like electric heat pumps. This funding will be made available to qualifying Nova Scotians starting this year.
• Up to $41.2 million for initiatives in Nova Scotia that support Canada's 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reductions target and align with Canada's goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Nova Scotia can leverage this funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in ways that recognize the unique circumstances of the province.

The federal government is working closely with Nova Scotia to finalize an agreement on the delivery of this funding.

This funding is in addition to other Government of Canada efficiency programs, including Natural Resources Canada's Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program, in which eligible homeowners with low-to-moderate incomes can receive up to $10,000 in federal support when including funding available from the Canada Greener Homes Grant. These two programs, delivered locally through EfficiencyOne, have supported the installation of over 10,000 heat pumps in Atlantic Canada, with 2,342 installed in Nova Scotia. 

The Low Carbon Economy Fund has already supported projects in Nova Scotia that include home energy assessments, energy-efficient equipment rebates for homes, smart thermostat installation, solar electricity panel installation, green heat systems installation, and solar photo voltaic electrification of Mi'kmaq First Nation communities.

Quotes

"This investment will help Nova Scotians live low-carbon lifestyles by using green technologies and decreasing reliance on home heating oil. We are helping families keep more money in their pockets while keeping harmful emissions out of our air, and all while seeing sustainable job growth across the country."
– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

"The Government of Canada is helping Nova Scotians save money on their utility bills while enhancing their home's energy efficiency. Today's investment builds on the progress of our Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program and the Greener Homes Initiative, which have supported thousands of Canadian households to make the switch to an electric heat pump."
– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources

"Nova Scotia is a national leader in fighting climate change and in energy efficiency programs. Through our partner, Efficiency Nova Scotia, we help Nova Scotians move away from oil heat and use less energy. We invested $140 million in December to further these programs and appreciate the contributions that our federal partners have made. Together, we expect our funding will help about 13,500 low-income households and 30,000 mid-income households over three years."
–  The Honourable Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables for Nova Scotia

"The support provided through the Low Carbon Economy Fund is vital for small communities in Nova Scotia like Antigonish. We will see individual homeowners' benefit, as well as larger provincial organizations who are leading the way in helping Nova Scotians reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Investments like this bring us a significant step forward in our collective efforts to meet our climate change objectives, and to bring us closer to becoming a net-zero community."
–  Mayor Laurie Boucher, Town of Antigonish

Quick facts

• Canada launched the Emissions Reduction Plan in 2022, laying out steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The plan provides renewed and enhanced Low Carbon Economy Fund funding, including a Leadership Fund that will continue to support climate action taken by provinces and territories, with a focus on deploying proven, low-carbon technologies.
• The Government of Canada has committed approximately $2 billion in additional funding to the enhanced Low Carbon Economy Fund, as previously announced in Budget 2022 and Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan.
• On average, homeowners who switch from oil to cold-climate heat pumps to heat their homes would save between $1,500 and $4,700 per year on home energy bills.
• The new Low Carbon Economy Fund funding will support climate action by Indigenous peoples with a new $180 million Indigenous Leadership Fund to invest in clean energy and energy-efficiency projects led by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations.
• In Atlantic Canada, the federal government's Greener Homes Grant and Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program have supported the installation of 10,759 heat pumps, including 2,342 in Nova Scotia; 2,525 in Newfoundland and Labrador; 5,422 in New Brunswick; and 470 in Prince Edward Island.

Associated links

• Low Carbon Economy Fund
  
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan—Canada's Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy
• Budget 2022—A Plan to Grow Our Economy and Make Life More Affordable
• Making Home Heating More Affordable for Atlantic Canada and Other Regions

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Contacts: Kaitlin Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-230-1557, [email protected]; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]