Source: Saltwire

Support is forthcoming for residents of Charlottetown and Stratford who want to make their homes more energy efficient.

In a news release, the City of Charlottetown and Town of Stratford announced the forthcoming “Switch Programs” which will make energy efficiency and renewable energy more financially accessible to homeowners in a bid to combat climate change.

The programs, launching later this month, will provide cost-effective options for residential energy efficiency and renewable energy projects – including heat pumps, solar systems and insulation.

Those programs are funded by $14.1 million from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, which was announced in May.

Participants will be offered financing with zero per cent interest up to 15 years on the costs – with no upfront costs. Municipalities will pay contractors, and homeowners will pay back their loans from anticipated savings in energy, said the release.

The programs will include the services of an “energy coach” to help homeowners navigate the process, with energy assessments, project selection, up-to-date rebates federal and provincial and incentives.

Councillor and environment and sustainability committee chair Mitchell Tweel said he is excited to see the Switch Program go live in Charlottetown.

“This program will offer residents of our city additional services, opportunities and funding options to make the change to more sustainable technologies, which in turn will help us meet our carbon reduction targets in the years to come,” he said. “This is a great step towards a cleaner, more efficient Charlottetown.”