CRANBROOK, BC, July 16, 2019 /CNW/ – Energy efficiency in buildings lowers costs, creates jobs and helps the environment. Promoting energy-efficient practices is key to Canada’s approach to a clean energy economy.

The Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today announced an investment of $400,000 to retrofit homes in the First Nations community of ʔaq̓am to meet a higher standard of energy efficiency, making their homes more affordable to live in and maintain.

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Through this funding, the community’s energy advisor will provide recommendations on appropriate upgrades and technologies to retrofit homes in the community. This approach will be shared with other Indigenous communities facing similar challenges to improve the energy performance of their houses and make life more affordable.

This project — funded through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Efficiency Program — will also help the First Nations community develop sustainable building practices that meet local cultural requirements and support the community in adopting increasingly energy-efficient buildings.

Through Generation Energy, Canada’s national energy dialogue, Canadians expressed that they want Canada to continue to be a leader in the transition to a clean growth economy. The Government of Canada will continue to support energy projects that create a clean, sustainable, competitive natural resources sector that cuts pollution and acts on climate change.

Quick Facts

• Buildings are a significant source of pollution in Canada, with commercial and institutional buildings accounting for approximately 17 percent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions.
• Given that 75 percent of the buildings that will be standing in 2030 have already been built, significantly reducing energy use in existing buildings is one of the most important and effective means of tackling emissions from the buildings sector.
• This project supports the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF) and Canada’s Buildings Strategy, developed in partnership with the provinces, territories and Indigenous peoples and through broad consultations with Canadians, key experts and industry stakeholders. Over one-third of estimated greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the PCF are from energy efficiency measures.

Quotes

“Building a clean energy economy requires action to make Canada’s buildings more energy-efficient. This project is an example of how our government is working closely with communities across the country to develop innovative solutions that will benefit all Canadians, putting more money in their pockets while reducing pollution.”

Amarjeet Sohi 
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources

“This project complements our community strategic plan ka kniⱡwi·tiyaⱡa, our thinking and our goal to live in ways that conserve energy and maintain high-quality infrastructure within our community. We look forward to seeing the energy improvements that this funding will support, as well as how this funding complements work already being completed within our community housing strategy.”

Joe Pierre Jr., Nasuʔkin (Chief) 
ʔaq̓am Community

“By investing in energy retrofits and efficiency upgrades, we’re taking action to make homes more comfortable, more affordable, and less polluting. British Columbia welcomes this funding to retrofit homes in the ʔaq̓am Community. It supports the goals of our CleanBC plan to reduce climate pollution, boost the economy, and make life more affordable.”