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As BC takes its first steps into another wildfire season and looks back on the devastating effects of climate change over the past few years, the government says it is looking forward and attempting to reduce its impact.
The District of Saanich is bringing back their Heat Pump Financing Program to help residents make the switch from oil or natural gas to clean, green energy.
This is the fifth time they have opened the District’s wallet to help people pay for a new heat pump.
Saanich launched this program in 2022 in collaboration with the District of Central Saanich.
For this intake, there are 38 spots available where eligible recipients will receive up to $12,000 in interest-free financing to put toward their heat pump.
According to Saanich, homeowners can spread the repayment over ten years through a levy on their property tax payments.
This way they get sustainable, affordable heat and cooling in their homes and they reduce their property taxes for a decade.
“The program is designed to address the up-front cost barrier of a heat pump for homeowners while taking climate action by drastically reducing participants’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving their resilience through the addition of cooling,” wrote the District of Saanich in a media release.
The District added that to increase accessibility, 50% of these spaces will be reserved for “income-qualified” households.
Those that fall into this category may also qualify for additional funding through the Province’s CleanBC Income Qualified Program.
They could receive up to an additional $9,500 in incentives for a heat pump and $3,500 for an electrical service upgrade.
Of those that have already qualified for this program, the District says participants have reported an average of $2,500 in energy savings per year.
The deadline for applications is September 22nd.
Applications and eligibility requirements can be found online.
