Swift Current, Sk — David Anderson, Member of Parliament for Cypress Hills-Grasslands, is pleased to see the Harper Government’s support for the renewal of the popular ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program, an initiative helping Canadians save on home improvements and energy costs while improving the environment.

“Constituents across my riding will be happy about the renewal of this program. It will allow them to continue to make energy efficient upgrades to their home,” said Anderson. “With this program, we are not only helping Canadians save money but also creating thousands of jobs and protecting our environment.”

From July 13, 2011, until March 31, 2012, homeowners may be eligible to receive reimbursements of up to $5,000 to make their homes more energy-efficient. The program could help up to 250,000 Canadian homeowners improve their homes’ energy efficiency and generate as much as $4 billion in economic activity across Canada.

Prior to Budget 2011, the Harper Government provided retrofit incentives to over 500,000 Canadians. Homeowners who participated in the program saved an average of 20 percent on their energy bills.

The renewal of the ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program was first introduced in Budget 2011 and was opposed by all opposition parties.  “The NDP and opposition talk big about the environment, but it’s our government that is standing up to provide the support necessary to our families to make their homes more energy efficient,” said Anderson.

To participate in the program, homeowners must first register for the program online at ecoaction.gc.ca/homes or by calling 1-800-O-CANADA (1-800-622-6232). Then, they must hire a local service organization to send an energy advisor, licensed by Natural Resources Canada, to perform a pre-retrofit evaluation of the home (unless the property has already had an evaluation since April 2007). All upgrades, and the post-retrofit evaluation, must take place before March 31, 2012.

Homeowners who participated in the program before April 1, 2011, and have not received the maximum amount for their current property, can submit an application for improvements purchased and installed after June 6, 2011.

Only products purchased and installed after June 6, 2011, are eligible for an ecoENERGY grant. All energy retrofits and post-retrofit evaluations must be completed by March 31, 2012, and the grant application must be signed by this date. Homeowners must provide receipts to their energy advisor at the time of the post-retrofit evaluation to confirm their eligibility for the grant.

For more information, visit ecoaction.gc.ca/homes or call 1-800-O-Canada (800-622-6232). TTY: 1-800-926-9105. Grant amounts are listed in the “Grant Table for ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes.”