To help small businesses become more energy efficient, the Province is providing new incentives on high-efficiency natural gas and propane boilers, and commercial water heaters until March 15, 2013.

Small businesses can apply to receive up to $5,700 from the Province to offset the cost of installing a qualified high-efficiency ENERGY STAR? boiler. High-efficiency gas boilers provide many benefits to small business, including ongoing savings of up to 20 per cent on energy costs.
 
The Province is also providing up to $30,000 in incentives for eligible high-efficiency commercial water heaters. Today's high performance natural gas models offer efficiencies of up to 95 per cent in comparison to 80 per cent for standard models.

To be eligible for incentives, small businesses must qualify under the criteria outlined for the Province's LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program for natural gas boilers and commercial water heaters. These incentives are for B.C. gas and propane customers who are not eligible for existing incentives offered by FortisBC's Efficient Boiler Program and Commercial Water Heater programs and already are supported by LiveSmart.

LiveSmart BC programs help British Columbians save money at home, on the road and at work.

Quick Facts:

• In January 2011, the ministry launched a $17-million, three-year LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program to assist business owners in saving money by reducing their energy consumption with free energy-efficiency advice, equipment and incentives. The funding for this program ends March 31, 2013.
• Small business can receive a free assessment from Business Energy Advisors through business associations and chambers of commerce throughout the province.
• To date, LiveSmart BC has helped over 9,000 small businesses to save energy and money.

Learn More:

Learn more about these new incentives at: http://www.livesmartbc.ca/incentives/boiler.html

Find out about the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program at: http://www.livesmartbc.ca/incentives/small-business/index.html

Find out about the LiveSmart enhanced product incentives available through FortisBC for gas boilers and commercial water heaters at: http://www.fortisbc.com/NaturalGas/Business/Offers/Pages/default.aspx

For more information about LiveSmart at Work, visit: www.livesmartbc.ca/green_business/index.html

Contact:

Sandra Steilo
Media Relations
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas
250 952-0617