Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Arctic Energy Alliance has announced the winners of this year’s Energy Action Awards. As we turn our attention this session to the ballooning cost of energy, I want to salute the accomplishments of our citizens and businesses who are showing us the way to a more secure energy future.
Doug Whiteman of Norman Wells won the Individual Energy Action Award. Starting with a biomass pellet space heater, Mr. Whiteman then converted this home to forced air pellet heating. His annual heating costs dropped 40 percent, paying off the cost of purchase and installation in less than four years. He has since added pellet heating to his business workshop and commercial chicken operation. Best of all, he is now protected from the spiking heating costs facing most of us.
The YWCA Yellowknife’s institutions award recognized energy reduction of 15 percent through simple equipment replacements. Low-flush toilets, taps and showerheads, front-load washers, programmable plug-ins and motion sensing lights, LCD lights and lower corridor temperatures were introduced with help from DeBeers and the GNWT. The Y is looking at a pellet boiler to drive costs down even further.
The Hamlet of Enterprise took the communities award for similar measures across the community. Front-load washers, low-flow toilets and taps have reduced water use and the amount of water being trucked, lowering greenhouse gas output. Help from the GNWT energy efficiency incentives was key.
The business award went to the Yellowknife Co-op for its aggressive replacement of refrigeration units with energy-efficient models and capturing heat output of cooling units. New freezer and cooler cases consume an amazing 83 percent less energy.
Mr. Speaker, I salute the achievements of these energy leaders. Unfortunately, the very programs enabling such success are capped to small and oversubscribed budgets. We have meagre amounts available under the commercial energy conservation and energy efficiency incentives and EnerGuide programs and no money available for small-scale conversions to biomass. Every project under every one of these programs saves our consumers money, provides energy security, protects our environment and builds our local economies. We need to beef up our support for these vital programs. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
