The B.C. government Sept. 17 launched a new program to support whole-building retrofits for apartments, condominiums and co-ops, with an eye on reducing energy bills.

The CleanBC Multi-Unit Residential Building Retrofit Program, a joint initiative with BC Hydro, will provide rebates and energy coaching to building owners, strata councils and equity co-op boards to make the switch to more energy-efficient and cleaner technologies in their buildings, such as heat pumps and LED lighting, as well as improved windows and ventilation.

The new program will also provide funding for the cost of electrical upgrades required for buildings to switch from fossil fuels to clean electricity.

“From record wildfires to historic droughts, British Columbians are seeing the impacts of climate change on their communities and they’re ready to switch from fossil fuels to clean energy, while making their homes more efficient and saving on energy bills,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “That’s why we are working with BC Hydro to support apartments, condos and co-ops with the upfront costs of completing whole-building retrofits, from highly efficient heat pumps to better windows and ventilation that will make homes more comfortable.”

Through the program, whole-building retrofits can lead to significant energy savings:

* a typical 65-unit rental building could switch from central gas heating to in-suite heat pumps, saving as much as $16,250 per year for the whole building or $250 per year per suite; and

* an average-size 130-suite condo building could replace electric baseboards with heat pumps, saving $18,000 on an average per year for the whole building or $140 per year per suite.

With $61 million over three years, the CleanBC Multi-Unit Residential Building Retrofit Program is the result of a $26-million investment by the province, and $35 million from BC Hydro as part of its Energy Efficiency Plan.

This partnership means the program will cover energy-efficiency measures in gas-heated and electrically heated apartments and condos.

In addition to the new program, this funding also supports the existing CleanBC Social Housing Incentive Program, which provides energy-study funding, project implementation support and rebates for social-housing buildings, such as those owned by not-for-profit organizations. The program is being enhanced with new rebates levels that are more than three-and-a-half times higher than before and cover a maximum of 90% of costs, an increase from 75%.

Energy efficiency is often the best, most cost-effective way for B.C. to meet future energy demand, while also lowering energy bills for people. BC Hydro’s updated Energy-Efficiency Plan includes more than $700 million over the next three years – a 60% increase from previous BC Hydro energy-efficiency budgets – to help people and businesses to waste less energy and save approximately $80 million every year, starting in 2026, a Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation media release noted.

“Making smart choices about how we use clean electricity has been core to our business for over 35 years,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO, BC Hydro. “Energy-efficiency programs defer the need for additional capital infrastructure, helping to keep rates affordable and offer additional flexibility to our electricity system. But equally important, programs like this one and the many others we offer provide our customers with the opportunity to save energy and money.”

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