Through a regulation, the Province is expanding the on bill financing pilots to Vancouver Island and Kelowna, beginning in January 2014.

This program helps families finance energy efficiency improvements to their homes through a loan from their utility company, BC Hydro or FortisBC. These pilots apply to single-family and row houses that are owned by the utility account holder. In many cases, families will pay for their energy efficiency retro-fits through their energy savings alone.

Through the On-Bill Financing Pilot projects in Colwood and the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen that began in November 2012, homeowners can pay for their energy efficiency improvements over time on their utility bill with no upfront costs.

The regulation also makes it easier to participate in the pilots by changing the eligibility criteria to allow people with one missed bill payment over the past year to enter the program.

Learn more about the existing pilots:

Colwood - www.bchydro.com/homeloan

Okanagan-Similkameen -http://www.fortisbc.com/Electricity/PowerSense/IncentivesPrograms/EfficiencyLoanProgram/Pages/default.aspx

Media Contact:

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