OTTAWA — Mark Zacharias, govt director at Clear Power Canada, made the next assertion in response to the federal authorities’s assist for Altantic Canadians’ vitality payments:
“With fossil gas costs hovering as soon as once more, it’s completely proper that governments ought to assist these feeling the crunch, and elevated assist for households getting off of pricy heating oil and onto warmth pumps will just do that.
“In reality, a Nova Scotian household can shave $940 off their month-to-month vitality prices by adopting vitality options like EVs and warmth pumps, in keeping with a latest evaluation from Clear Power Canada. And that’s together with tools prices.
“However by making heating oil quickly exempt from carbon pricing, the federal authorities could go away Canadians with the impression that carbon pricing—versus fossil gas inflation—is the wrongdoer for skyrocketing heating oil costs. Since 2020, the carbon worth on heating oil has elevated by 12 cents per litre, whereas the common worth for heating oil is now 75 cents increased. Canadians are overwhelmingly feeling the impacts of geopolitics and fossil gas inflation, not a local weather coverage.
“Economists agree that carbon pricing is some of the cost-effective methods to transition economies away from fossil fuels. And solely by ditching fossil fuels altogether can Canadians be free from the unstable worth swings that come from a reliance on oil and gasoline.
“To that finish, we applaud the federal authorities’s elevated assist for Canadians as they improve their heating oil methods to money-saving warmth pumps, beginning in Atlantic Canada the place heating oil is commonest. Incentives for warmth pumps had beforehand existed, however this may make the choice even simpler for extra households. As will the brand new $250 rebate supplied as a part of this system, which is able to assist ease the monetary burden within the short-term as residents unlock long-term financial savings.
“Clear vitality is already extra reasonably priced than fossil gas vitality, however accessibility can also be key. With at present’s announcement, the federal authorities helps much more individuals unlock these financial savings. However sending the best message can also be essential.”
KEY FACTS
- A Halifax resident may save $1,432 a 12 months by switching oil heating for a warmth pump, in keeping with a research by Pure Sources Canada.
- Gasoline oil heating costs have elevated around the globe and aren’t particular to Canada.
- Because the begin of 2020, the carbon worth has elevated the price of furnace oil by 12 cents per litre, whereas the common retail worth for furnace oil (mild gas oil) is presently 75 cents above the 2020 common.
- As of 2020, there have been 514,000 households primarily heating with heating oil in Canada, of which 211,000 (41%) have been within the Atlantic provinces.
- Households may save as a lot as $10,000 a 12 months by adopting a couple of clear vitality options like EVs and warmth pumps, in keeping with a brand new Clear Power Canada report.
- The Worldwide Financial Fund just lately described carbon pricing as a “needed” coverage within the combat towards local weather change.
RESOURCES
Report | A Clear Invoice