Ottawa’s City Budget Needs More for Climate Change Efforts

Published on February 11, 2019

Among other organizations, Ecology Ottawa has been looking over the draft city budget for Ottawa and have found it to be insufficient in terms of climate change efforts.

Robb Barnes, executive director of Ecology Ottawa, has said that the city is carrying on in a normal fashion, when instead it should be seriously considering how it can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Barnes also believes that Ottawa should see climate change as a state of emergency, much like Halifax and Vancouver, who recently declared a 'climate emergency'.

Although the budget does put money towards some infrastructure repairs, such as road resurfacing, along with $3 million earmarked for energy efficiency retrofits in city buildings, the new budget has removed $500,000 in grants which were given to community groups to assist in energy initiatives.

The budget also has $150,000 set aside to be be put towards Energy Evolution - a strategy the city has come up with to reduce energy consumption and help promote renewably sourced energy in Ottawa. The strategy is still at its planning stage.

Barnes is hoping to not only see Ottawa declare a climate emergency, and to invest in more environmentally friendly initiatives, such as a greater number charging stations for electric vehicles around the city, he is also hoping for it to inspire and help homeowners retrofit their homes to greater levels of energy efficiency.

Taking Advantage of Rebates to Reduce Your Greenhouse Gas Emissions

By improving your home’s level of energy efficiency, you not only help to reduce your overall greenhouse gas emissions by consuming less energy, but you can also make your home more comfortable, have better air quality, and have significantly lower utility costs. With the help of home renovation rebates from both Union Gas and Enbridge, you can see a return on your energy efficiency improvements even faster.

Our Registered Energy Advisors are happy to help you figure out which rebates would provide you with the greatest savings, and by having a Home Energy Assessment conducted, you can help your home qualify - we also offer free phone consultations to help you get started.

A Home Energy Assessment also provides you with a strategy for how your home could improve its overall level of energy efficiency, and an inside look at how effective your home’s building envelope really is. The advisor who conducts your assessment will rank all of your home’s potential improvement options in terms of their cost-effectiveness, and each suggestion from the assessment will also have projected energy and financial savings included, allowing you to make the decision that is the best fit for you and your family’s needs, your time restrictions, and your budget.

Often times the assessment determines that the most cost-effective way that the home could be retrofitted to greater levels of energy efficiency is by doing simple and affordable modifications, such as improving the level of insulation in the attic, or finding and sealing air leaks.

These rebates can significantly help with the upfront costs of home renovations, making it easier for you to take on larger and more effective energy efficiency improving projects in your home.