The City of Prince Rupert is working with Ecotrust Canada to look at ways to make the process of completing home energy upgrades easier for Prince Rupert residents. 

Home energy upgrades are renovations that can improve the energy efficiency, health, and comfort of homes, while reducing carbon emissions and significantly lowering utility bills. Examples include:

  • adding or improving insulation
  • installing a more efficient space heating system like a heat pump*
  • installing a more efficient water heating system
  • replacing windows and doors
  • improving ventilation
  • sealing air leaks to reduce drafts

*A heat pump is an energy efficient system that can both heat and cool your home. It is can replace a natural gas furnace or electric baseboards. It works by moving warmth from the outside air indoors to heat your home in winter (and vice versa in summer).

We are looking into which kinds of upgrades would make the most positive impact in different types of homes in Prince Rupert, how much money households could save, what challenges people encounter when trying to make home energy upgrades, and what some possible solutions to these challenges are.

From January through July 2023, we will be collecting information and talking to residents and organizations in Prince Rupert to receive input on this topic. We will use the information and input we gather to propose possible pathways and solutions for moving forward, such as putting in place local upgrade supports. We encourage contractors, community organizations, industry professionals and anyone interested in sharing their insights to connect with josephine [at] ecotrust.ca. Do you have a story to share? Have you successfully made an upgrade and want to tell us about how it went? Or did you run into issues that stopped you from being able to make energy efficiency renovations? Let us know!

This project has been funded through a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.



“A house that uses energy efficiently is a happy home.” A cutaway of the house showing features that makes a home energy efficient: airtight construction pointing to the outside walls; high-performing ENERGY STAR certified windows pointing to the window in the bedroom; air sealing (e.g. around windows, doors, electrical outlets, vents) pointing to the door in the living room; LED or ENERGY STAR certified lighting pointing to the light in the kitchen; ENERGY STAR certified appliances (e.g. fridge, clothes washer and dryer) pointing to the fridge in the kitchen; high-performing or ENERGY STAR equipment (e.g, furnace, AC, water heater) pointing to the furnace in the basement; and better insulation (e.g. walls, attic, basement) pointing to the cutaway of the wall in the basement.Some examples of home energy efficiency upgrades are shown in this graphic. Source: Natural Resources Canada




Survey

Household energy survey

This survey asks 18 questions about energy in your home, and your thoughts about ways to make home energy renovations (such as installing heat pumps or improving building insulation) easier and more accessible for people in Prince Rupert. Your input will inform potential ways that residents could be supported to save money on household energy costs and reduce GHG emissions. The information is gathered in partnership with Ecotrust Canada’s Community Energy Initiative, which works with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities towards a vision of energy security for all. Your answers are confidential, and results will only be shared in aggregate with any personal information removed.

This information is being collected, as per Section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purpose of informing a feasibility study for energy efficiency upgrades in Prince Rupert. If you have any questions pertaining to collection/use of information and the protection of your privacy, please feel free to contact:

Veronika Stewart, Manager of Communications, Engagement and Social Development, City of Prince Rupert,
424 3rd Avenue West, Prince Rupert, BC
Phone: (250) 627 0976
Email: veronika.stewart@princerupert.ca



The Survey has now concluded.