January 29, 2024
Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
K1A 0A6
Hon. Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
K1A 0A6
Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finance
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
K1A 0A6
Hon. Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
K1A 0A6
RE: Requesting the Government of Canada to advance an ambitious Canada Green Buildings Strategy including the renewal of the Canada Greener Homes Grant
The Clean Air Council (CAC) is a network of over 40 municipalities and health units from across Southern Ontario that work collaboratively on the development and implementation of clean air and climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. The CAC network represents over 10 million Ontarians. Clean Air Partnership (CAP) is a charitable environmental organization that supports municipal climate action ambition and implementation. CAP serves as the facilitator for the Clean Air Council network.
Most CAC member municipalities have passed climate emergencies, committed to science-based GHG reduction targets, and are in the process of implementing their Corporate and Community Climate Action Plans. CAC member municipalities are very keen to work with the federal government and its partners to ensure that Ontario's communities progress towards increased affordability, resiliency, efficiency and decarbonization. The CAC network is encouraging the Government of Canada to advance an ambitious Canada Green Buildings Strategy, including the renewal of the Canada Greener Homes Grant with a stronger focus on home energy retrofits for low-income and equity-deserving households.
Decarbonizing and increasing the energy efficiency of our building stock is the number one climate priority for the cities in our network as buildings are responsible for approximately 60% of community-wide emissions. Community members and homeowners play a crucial role in advancing our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. CAC is writing to express concern about the recent news that the federal Greener Homes Grant Program will end earlier than expected.
Launched in 2021, Greener Homes grants were supposed to be available for seven years. The CAC network is disappointed to learn that the program may soon be exhausted due to the higher-than-anticipated uptake of funds without an immediate replacement. A successful program such as this one is critical in advancing the momentum of residential emissions reduction and should be improved and expanded, not closed. A number of municipalities in the CAC network have instituted energy retrofit programs in their jurisdictions (Better Homes Burlington, BetterHomesOttawa, Better Homes Hamilton Program, etc.) and the loss of the federal incentives may negatively impact the uptake of these programs.Closing this program poses a significant threat to the momentum gained in encouraging homeowners to take meaningful climate action and make their homes more resilient to the disruptions caused by climate change. The progress we've made in reducing our carbon footprint by upgrading the energy efficiency of our homes is now under the threat of stalling.
Moreover, emerging from the economic downturn due to COVID-19, many Canadians have entered the cleantech sector to become registered energy auditors and heat pump installers with the hopes of a better career and livelihood. This kind of start-and-stop funding cycle could put their livelihoods at risk.
The CAC network urges the Canadian government to:
Communities in Canada are already experiencing the effects of climate change, and any postponement or inaction could result in significant costs. We encourage the Government of Canada to advance an ambitious Canada Green Buildings Strategy, including the renewal of the Canada Greener Homes Grant with a stronger focus on home energy retrofits for low-income and equity-deserving households. For the federal government to achieve its emissions reduction goals, and expand Canada's green job sector, initiatives such as the Greener Homes Grant program must be maintained over extended periods.
Clean Air Partnership would welcome an opportunity to schedule a follow-up meeting between the Ministry and the CAC municipal network to engage and ensure that we are doing everything possible to secure a resilient, sustainable future for all Canadians.