B.C.'s Energy Minister Adrian Dix Wednesday said rebates totalling $100 million over two years will help thousands of households with low-to-moderate incomes install heat pumps, but several questions about the program remain unanswered.
Dix announced the program in Victoria in the presence of BC Hydro President and Chief Executive Chris O'Reilly, interim B.C. Green Leader Jeremy Valeriote and Michael Nowotniak of Victoria-based Method Air.
Dix said the program will help provide up to 8,300 heat pumps to eligible British Columbians, including those who own or live in individual suites, condominiums and apartment buildings, including rentals.
"We know that during these uncertain times, all British Columbians are facing difficult choices, when it comes to finances," Dix said. "Today is about fairness. It's also about reducing emissions."
He added this program will help individuals who could not afford heat pumps otherwise.
"This is our best effort to ensure that everybody has access to climate action and everyone as much as possible can be enabled in that climate action, including people who live in multi-unit buildings, people who live in apartments.
O'Reilly said BC Hydro will oversee every step of the process, from initial assessment to installation, servicing and maintenance for the first two yeas, but could not say when the pumps would start humming.
"We look forward to making the heat pump offer available in the very near future to qualified households," he said.
Households in individual suites in multi-unit residential buildings could be eligible for up to $5,500 for a ductless mini-split heat pump. A specific break-down of eligibility categories and the application process is not yet available.
Dix said a website available soon will include that information, pointing to existing BC Hydro criteria.
Wednesday's announcement comes little more than a week after the elimination of the consumer carbon tax, a move that drew opposition from the B.C. Greens. But it ticks off one element of the Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord between the governing B.C. NDP and the B.C. Greens, a point noted by Valeriote.
"Today is a good day for the climate action, for affordable heating and cooling and for our (agreement) between the Green caucus and government," he said.
Notably, the actual language of the agreement makes the rebate "subject to B.C.'s fiscal situation."
When Dix was asked how B.C. could afford this rebate given the current budget deficit of almost $11 billion, Dix framed it as an affordability measures that is also helping to drive small business in B.C.
Another yet-to-be completed element of the agreement between the two parties is review of CleanBC, the program designed to reduce greenhouse emissions with the now-eliminated carbon tax.
"We have to look at all the programs and we are doing that like everyone else is, especially in light of the fiscal situation facing the province," Dix said. "But this one, we think, makes sense for families, it make sense for affordability and makes sense for the province as a really cost-efficient to address climate change."
The review of CleanBC comes one year earlier than scheduled and Dix promised that an update would be forthcoming soon.
