The Town of Okotoks' Clean Energy Improvement Program is one step closer to reality after council approved a bylaw laying the groundwork for a four-year pilot to take place.

In essence, the program would see the town offering low-interest loans for locals interested in energy-efficient projects in or on their homes.

Those include tankless water heaters, solar panels, increased insulation with a minimum of $3000.

The town's Climate Change and Energy Specialist, Sheri Young, says people interested in that sort of project often contact the town for advice or assistance, but many are dismayed at the cost, or the commitment to taking out a loan.

"An issue with getting a loan, if you do qualify for a loan is what if you want to sell your house in five years? What happens is, you sell the house, but you still have to pay off your loan, even if you're not benefitting from the solar of the increased insulation or the lower energy cost. The way the CEIP will work is the cost or the investment in the property stays with the property, so it gets tacked onto the property taxes for the building."

Another benefit the town is hoping to foster is with local companies who'd be installing these projects.

Energy Efficiency Alberta has a list of approved contractors for these projects, and Young says the town is hoping to assist local contractors in getting on that list.

"Over the next few months while we're waiting to hear back on financing and trying to get this up and running, is we're going to offer some education for local contractors. I actually just got a call from a local contractor who's super interested in this right now; he wants to make sure that he's got all his ducks in a row so that he's a) an approved contractor, and b) knows how to do the energy audits and assessments for when local Okotokains want to integrate these news measures into their home."

The town is currently working on the funding portion of the project, to be provided through the Federation for Canadian Municipalities.

They're also keeping an eye on a similar federal program, which people could use along CEIP, or which could see more funding made available for municipalities for programs like CEIP.

Once the four-year residential pilot has ended, Young says she'd love to expand the program.

"We'll be able to expand it to commercial buildings and commercial properties, as well as agricultural properties, so some of the annexed areas with big properties, they might want to put in a new system. We might have some commercial property owners, which I think will be a great opportunity, and that will have a higher cap."

With the groundwork having been established, the town will be securing funding and fleshing the program out, with more information expected this Fall.

 

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