Mr. Speaker, the continued high cost of energy is an ongoing concern for people in the Northwest Territories. Many residents are making changes to reduce their energy use and costs. Many are taking advantage of our energy contribution programs to make these changes.
Last year our government paid out more than $165,000 in rebates through the Energy Efficiency Incentive program to residents who purchased energy efficient appliances and vehicles. The majority of 549 approved applications were for the purchase of new household or home heating appliances in communities in every region in the NWT.
We also provided rebates to ten successful applicants through our Small Renewable Energy Fund to install solar photovoltaic and wind turbine technologies in their homes, which are off the grid. This resulted in a total fuel savings of 20,772 litres, or 58,900 kilograms, of greenhouse gas emissions per year. All applications for this program came from the North Slave region.
The department is currently developing public information to promote the use of alternative energy technologies. One of the main purposes of this work is to help people learn about how they can use these technologies in their homes and communities.
Four applications were approved through the Community Renewable Energy Fund. These included the installation of solar hot water systems in seniors’ centres in Hay River and Fort Providence and support for the Remote Community Wind Energy Conference in Tuktoyaktuk last November. Support was also provided for the Con Mine Geothermal Study in Yellowknife.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has reviewed the energy contribution programs to ensure they respond to the need to reduce energy use, particularly in the area of home heating costs.
The Energy Efficiency Incentive program has been refocused this year to assist homeowners in dealing with the high costs of home heating by increasing rebates for purchasing energy efficient models of home heating appliances.
As Members are aware, wood pellet heating appliances are becoming more popular. Advances in wood pellet technology have resulted in the production of new furnaces and boilers that are replacing or augmenting oil furnaces and boilers.
Rebates of $700 for wood pellet furnaces and $1,000 for boilers are now available to homeowners purchasing these appliances. Rebates are also available for the purchase of wood pellet stoves, wood stoves, high energy efficient oil furnaces, gas furnaces and boilers, hot water heating appliances and energy efficient home appliances.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that there’s a need to start using alternative energy technologies to reduce our dependence on oil and diesel fuel. To help business owners deal with these costs, we have updated the Alternative Energy Technologies program to include the new Medium Renewable Energy Fund. This fund will provide one-third of the costs, up to $15,000, of qualified alternative energy systems for businesses in the Northwest Territories.
Other changes to our energy contribution programs include making community and regional aboriginal land and development corporations eligible for funding for community projects through the Energy Conservation Program, and adding solar hot water heating systems to the list of eligible systems under the Small Renewable Energy Fund.
Mr. Speaker, these program changes reflect the priorities of the 16th Legislative Assembly and help residents, businesses, municipal and aboriginal government and non-profit groups address the high cost of energy.
By becoming more energy efficient, we will save money and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We will continue to review our energy contribution programs and make sure they are responsive to the needs of our residents.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
