Notes for a Speech byThe Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, PC, MPMinister of Natural Resources Canadato theLaunch of the EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit IncentiveOttawa, OntarioOctober 21, 2003Check against deliveryLadies and gentlemen, thank you for coming today. We're here to launch the EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive.First off, I would like to thank Frank Charette and his family for opening their beautiful home to us today to help us make this announcement.The EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive is a $73-million, three-year program that will encourage Canadians to make their homes more energy-efficient and help Canada address climate change.The genesis of the Incentive lies in the Climate Change Plan for Canada, which the Government of Canada released last November. It outlines Canada's strategy to meet our climate change objectives and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.Responding effectively to climate change is a priority for the Government and for all Canadians. That's why, when we were putting our plan together, we knew that we would all have to do our share. That no one can do it alone. That we need a collective effort from governments, industry and individuals.So we're starting to put in place initiatives that will help all Canadians bring GHGs down.The Prime Minister announced our first round of investments ; worth $1 billion ? in August. And now those programs are starting to come on-line. The EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive was the shining star of that announcement.Obviously, any program that will put some money into the pockets of Canadians ¿ and we expect the average incentive to be about $1,000 ¿ is bound to be popular. But we've been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming interest in the Incentive. I think that clearly shows Canadians are eager to make a difference.In our Plan, we ask Canadians to do their part by taking the One Tonne Challenge ¿ reduce the GHGs that result from our daily lives by one tonne.One tonne of emissions is difficult to visualize, but the average Canadian creates about five tonnes of GHGs per year. This means we're asking Canadians to cut emissions by 20 percent.How can they do this? In many ways. But looking at the energy used to heat, cool and power our homes is a good place to start.The EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive will help Canadians find out how much energy their houses use. And find out how to reduce that energy use.To become eligible for an incentive is a three-step process. First, have an EnerGuide for Houses evaluation done. This provides an initial energy-efficiency rating and recommends improvements.An evaluation can cost between $225 and $325, but Natural Resources Canada, my department, contributes $150 per house to this amount.Second, get the retrofits done.Third, have a second evaluation done. The amount of the grant depends on the difference between the EnerGuide for Houses rating before retrofits and after. The greater the improvement in a home's energy-efficiency rating, the greater the size of the grant.I've had my first evaluation on my house performed and you can see the results in the report in your kits. Now I know what changes I can make ¿ both large and small ¿ that will increase the energy efficiency of my house I intend to make those renovations.There's an easy way to see the difference renovations can make. Imagine a hole in your wall that lets heat escape.After renovations that hole will shrink considerably, in most cases by at least 25 percent.Making the recommended renovations is a win-win-win proposition. Energy use goes down and the comfort level of your house goes up.Reduced energy use leads to money savings over the long term. In fact, in many cases the investment in renovations is recouped over three or four years.Homeowners are doing their part to tackle climate change.The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation predicts that spending on home renovations will top $32 billion this year. Imagine the progress we could make on climate change if energy efficiency was part of the equation in making spending decisions.It would be huge. And it clearly shows that we can address climate change and make our lives better.The EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive is a three-year program. So there's no need to rush. Take the time to plan your renovations wisely. If the good job is done right, not only will you cut energy use in your home, but you will also help Canada respond to climate change.And increase the value of your home.If a poor job is done it may mean going back to the drawing board and redoing a renovation that doesn't meet expectations.Now, I am very excited by the success of this program. I am excited that so many Canadians are eager to do their part to help Canada respond to climate change.Canadians from coast to coast to coast have already started to call and book for appointments with our auditors. And waiting lists are building because interest is high.We're working hard to meet that demand. We're working with evaluation agents, many of which are small, private businesses, to train more expert auditors.And we fully expect that in the next few months, any waiting period will be down to a few weeks. And, frankly this gives people the time they need to think about what renovations they should do.Interests rates are low, making this a good time to invest in renovations.When it comes to investing in our homes, we're all interested in the bottom line. With the EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive the bottom line is not just about saving money, cutting energy use or making our homes more comfortable.It's about taking the steps to find climate change solutions today that will make a difference tomorrow. It's about making sure that future generations enjoy the same opportunities we do, and a cleaner, brighter future.Thank you.
