In partnership with BC Hydro and FortisBC, the Province of British Columbia is extending and improving its popular LiveSmart BC: Efficiency Incentive Program, where homeowners can receive more than $7,000 in rebates for energy saving improvements and equipment.

The program is extended for an additional two years and rebates for improvements like insulation, draft-proofing and high-performance windows and doors have increased by up to 700 per cent.

Effective April 1, 2011, the increased incentives include:

• Up to $1,500 for exterior wall insulation, up from $400.
• Up to $1,200 for basement insulation, up from $500.
• Up to $750 to install attic insulation, up from $310.
• Up to $70 per window, door and skylight replacement, up from $40 each.
• Up to $500 to replace a supplementary heating system with a pellet burning appliance, up from $250.

In all, rebates have increased for 35 of 54 different items, and to further encourage participants to reduce a home's heat loss, 12 new items have been added to the program.

To access the rebates, homeowners must hire a certified energy advisor to conduct an energy-efficiency assessment prior to and after making any eligible improvements. The advisor will handle all the paperwork in applying for provincial incentives after the post-retrofit assessment.

• Over the coming two years, the LiveSmart BC: Efficiency Incentive Program will provide up to $30 million in provincial funding for upgrades, with a further $11.7 million available from BC Hydro and Fortis BC.
• The new incentives are for homeowners entering the program on or after April 1, 2011.
• 40,000 new entrants are expected to enter the program.
• The rebates vary by region - typically 25 per cent higher in the Interior/Northern region for improvements to insulation and draft proofing windows and doors.
• Homeowners are encouraged to use certified installers to improve the quality and value of the work, with a new $100 rebate for heating systems installed by a certified professional.
• The program continues to pay $150 toward each initial energy assessment, lowering the cost for families to access this $325 service.
• Since its inception in 2008, the LiveSmart BC: Efficiency Incentive Program has:
• Stimulated growth green economy jobs, such as manufacturers, distributors, energy advisors, contractors and tradespeople.
• Grown the number of full-time energy advisors from about 30 to over 125 today.
• Helped more than 65,000 participants in communities throughout BC.

• In January 2011, the Province launched the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program, a new $15-million, three-year program to support small businesses through energy efficiency advisors, enhanced product incentives, equipment installation and funding for innovative energy solutions.

Learn More:

• For a full list of the changes and incentives available to homeowners through the LiveSmart BC: Efficiency Incentive Program visit:
  www.livesmartbc.ca/rebates
• To learn more about the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program visit: www.livesmartbc.ca/green_business/index.html

Media Contact:

Jake Jacobs
Media Relations
Ministry of Energy and Mines and Ministry Responsible for Housing
250 952-0628