Save Energy First

Home retrofit incentives; Three-year continuation of home retrofit incentive programs from 2012 through 2015.

The global economy is struggling and Canadian governments want to create jobs and build a foundation for growth. A three-year commitment to continue popular home retrofit incentive programs is an ideal first step, because it:

•Creates jobs immediately in all communities across Canada, reduces government deficits, and delivers long-term benefits for Canadian families including lower energy bills, reduced pollution, and healthier, more comfortable homes.

•Maintains the existing capacity and industry confidence required to build a solid foundation for private sector growth of Canada’s home energy marketplace

There are many advantages to renewing home retrofit incentive programs for an additional three years:

•create jobs -- now and over the long term -- in all communities across Canada
•help families save energy, lower their energy bills and protect the environment
•reduce government deficits because retrofit incentive programs generate two dollars in tax revenue for every dollar invested by the government
•stimulate the economy at no cost to government
•improve health and comfort of Canadian homes
•reduce pollution and health-care costs
•combat the underground cash economy in home renovation services
•protect families, communities and Canada’s economy from rising energy prices
•generate economic activity in the same communities where homeowners live, creating local jobs and business for tradespeople, contractors and suppliers
•support innovation and private sector investment in Canada’s home energy saving industry.