Media Contacts

Suntanu Dalal

Media Relations
Ministry of Energy and Mines
250 952-0628

Backgrounders

Projects throughout B.C. receive CELP funding

The following projects received second-round CELP funding:

  • Cowichan Valley Regional District - $24,000 for a solar photovoltaic (PV) demonstration project that includes the installation of a roof mounted 22.3 kilowatt (kW) solar PV system on a local community building that will produce approximately 25,047 kWh per year (Total project cost: $73,164)
  • City of Cranbrook – $108,000 for a heat recovery ventilator retrofit at a local community pool that will save $38,000 per year in energy use and reduce GHG emissions by 231 tonnes per year. (Total project cost: $368,000)
  • Kwadacha First Nation – $150,000 for a bioenergy project in their remote community that will generate one million kilowatt-hours per year of energy, reduce diesel consumption and reduce GHG emissions by 987 tonnes per year. (Total project cost: $4.1 million)
  • Old Massett Village Council – $47,000 for a biomass district heating system that will reduce diesel consumption, resulting in saving of $92,000 per year in energy use and reducing GHG emissions by 225 tonnes per year. (Total project cost: $874,000)
  • City of Nelson – $20,000 for a solar photovoltaic project generating approximately 70 megawatt hours of electricity annually and demonstrating a first-in-Canada concept of a “community solar garden” where community members share in the ownership of a central solar system managed by the city’s municipal power utility. (Total project cost: $245,000)
  • District of Saanich - $100,000 for an energy efficiency and air source heat pump retrofit project at a local community centre that will save $48,000 per year in energy use and reduce GHG emissions by 334 tonnes per year. (Total project cost: $1.2 million)
  • Skidegate Band Council – $70,000 for a community-wide heat pump retrofit and training project that will save $53,000 per year in energy use and reduce the need for increased diesel demand. (Total project cost: $240,000). 
  • Xeni Gwet’in First Nation - $36,000 for Phase 1 of a multi-phase community electrification project that will supply clean, reliable, renewable electrical energy to the community by replacing existing fossil fuel generators and reducing GHG emissions by approximately 8,900 tonnes over 20 years. (Total project cost for all phases: $2,846,050)

CELP provides funding up to 33% of the total project costs with proponents required to fund or seek further partnerships for the remaining costs. Together, the eight approved projects for 2016 will leverage over $8 million in investment from funding partners.

In the Climate Leadership Plan, the Province committed to working with communities to expand the progress made to date on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. CELP’s funding for community-owned energy efficiency and clean energy projects directly supports communities in meeting their greenhouse gas reduction and other sustainability goals.   

Funding for CELP comes from the Province’s Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund. The ICE fund is a legislated special account designed to support government’s energy and environmental priorities and to advance British Columbia’s clean energy sector.

The #BCTECH Strategy is a key component of the BC Jobs Plan to support the growth of B.C.’s vibrant technology sector and strengthen British Columbia’s diverse innovation economy. The multi-year strategy includes a $100-million BC Tech Fund and initiatives to increase talent development and market access for tech companies that will drive innovation and productivity throughout the province.