Latest news with #ColleenKuruluk
CTV News
24-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Province offers homeowners incentive to switch to heat pumps
Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes announces incentives for heat pumps at a news conference in Winnipeg on June 24, 2025. (Scott Andersson/CTV News Winnipeg) The provincial government is offering to foot most of the bill for Manitobans looking to make their homes more energy efficient using heat pumps. On Tuesday, Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes announced the launch of the Affordable Home Energy Program. The goal of the program is to see the conversion of 5,000 homes in Manitoba to ground source heat pump heating and cooling. 'In Manitoba, we're committed to being a net zero province by 2050 and exploring renewable and sustainable energy sources is part of that goal,' Moyes said. Eligible homeowners would be able to apply for the program through Efficiency Manitoba. 'Participants don't need to pay anything up front. We pay the contractor directly, and the monthly cost is conveniently added to their energy bill,' said Colleen Kuruluk, CEO of Efficiency Manitoba. Kuruluk said about 60 to 75 per cent of the installation costs would be covered through this incentive. The rest would be covered by the homeowner, who would pay $75 each month on their energy bill for 15 years. She noted even with this payment, most homeowners would still end up paying less overall on their monthly energy bills because geothermal technology is a more efficient source. Other options are available for multi-unit residential buildings. More information can be found on the Efficiency Manitoba website.
CBC
24-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Manitoba offers up new incentives to shift to heat pumps, ditches election promise
Social Sharing The Manitoba government wants homeowners to upgrade their heating and cooling systems to a geothermal pump it says could save them up to $1,000 annually on their bills. Just how much they have to pay to get the heat pump system installed, though, depends on which incentive offer they qualify for. The eligibility requirements and incentives are based on a homeowner's current heating fuel type, the suitability of a ground-source heat pump in rural and city settings and, in some cases, on household income: Income-based offers. First Nation communities. Homeowners. Homeowners with oil heating systems. Multi-unit residential buildings. "We know that this a big shift from traditional heating systems and that's why we're backing this program with some of the most generous financial supports Efficiency Manitoba has ever offered," said Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes at the launch on Tuesday of the province's affordable home energy program The cost of every installation will vary because of the diverse eligibility requirements, said Colleen Kuruluk, CEO of Efficiency Manitoba. "When designing our offers, we recognize that every household is different and the needs of Manitobans are certainly unique. This ranges from the size of the home to the number of occupants to their income and ability to invest in energy efficiency," she said. However, she estimates 60 to 75 per cent of the cost of the installation will be covered by the incentive. The remaining 25 to 40 per cent will be covered by the homeowner but paid back gradually as it is added to the monthly heating bill. The repayment will be meted out so it is less than a person's former energy bill, so the savings from shifting to the new system will be realized immediately, Kuruluk said. Efficiency Manitoba expects to spend about $10 million annually on the program, although Kuruluk admitted it could be more, depending on the response from the public. But every switch to a ground-source heat pump translates into greater value in energy costs to Manitoba Hydro, she said. A ground-source heat pump moves heat rather than generating it. It extracts heat from the outside air (even in cold temperatures) and transfers it indoors for heating, and reverses the process to cool a home by transferring indoor heat to the outside. NDP alters election promise During the 2023 election campaign, the NDP promised to fully cover the expense of the heat pump equipment and installation for 5,000 homes over four years. Under the revised program, people won't need to pay any upfront costs for the installation — the contractor is paid directly by Efficiency Manitoba — but there is that remaining 25 to 40 per cent that will have to gradually be paid back. Asked about the change, Moyes repeatedly insisted the new program is "by far the most generous offer that has ever been put forward by the Manitoba government." He wouldn't give a timeline for completing 5,000 installations, saying it depends on the uptake by Manitobans. Kuruluk called it "a significant enhancement" over the grant program that was in place. In some instances, such as in First Nation communities, the cost to the homeowner could be zero. Kuruluk said Efficiency Manitoba is working with an Indigenous-led capital fund that is, in turn, working with investors to cover the expense. Other incentives are designed to support retrofits in multi-unit residential buildings. "By helping Manitobans switch to heat pump systems, we are reducing household energy bills, reducing peak energy demands, reducing emissions and creating new opportunities for skilled workers," Moyes said, noting heat pumps use less than half the electricity of that required by a typical electric furnace in Manitoba. The new program is part of Manitoba's overall affordable energy plan announced in September 2024, he said.
