REBATE AND INCENTIVE ALERT

• Time is running out for your customers to take advantage of a 15 per cent income tax credit, up to $1,350, for renovations. The Home Renovation Tax Credit ends February 1, 2010. All expenses incurred for renovations, including payments for the proper permits, are eligible for the tax credit.
   

• One-stop Source
  The Directory of Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy Programs in Canada allows you to search financial incentive or tax measure programs by location, source (federal, provincial, municipal, utilities and so on) and sector. For example, a search of Newfoundland and Labrador, all sources and all sectors revealed: The Newfoundland Power Electric Heat Financing Program offers homeowners up to $10,000 in financing for the purchase and installation of electric home heating systems.
   

• Take advantage of grants, rebates, discounts and other incentives available from Environment Canada, to help with the switch to renewable energy.
   

• Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is re-instating its policy of allowing the replacement of furnaces prior to having an ecoEnergy assessment done this heating season. Replacement central air conditioning systems and domestic hot water heaters are included in the policy.
   

• BC Hydro has launched the New Construction Program, which replaced the High Performance Building Program. It offers up to 100 per cent funding for energy studies, higher capital incentives, and a simplified application process. An inclining tiered incentive approach aimed at the proportionally higher capital costs of energy-efficient technology helps customers achieve a higher level of savings in new construction.
   

• SolarBC contractors will provide householders with a $1,000 discount at the point of sale for solar hot water systems.
   

• Updates to the EcoENERGY Retrofit-Home Program include changes to equipment eligibility within the grant program for central air conditioners and heat pumps. NRCan will now accept all ENERGY STAR qualified air-source heat pumps (ASHP)/furnace packages. ASHPs must meet the requirements for grant eligibility under the ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program and must be identified as ENERGY STAR in the NRCan database. They must be ENERGY STAR qualified as a matched combination of outdoor and indoor coils, where the inside coil can be a fan coil or can include a furnace match. Central air conditioner systems (AC) must meet all of the following requirements for grant eligibility under the ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program and must be identified as ENERGY STAR in the NRCan database. ACs must be ENERGY STAR qualified as a matched unit of outdoor and indoor coils, where the inside coil can be a fan coil or can include a furnace match. HRAI