Government Funds Climate Efforts at McGill University

Published on March 11, 2019

The Canadian Government recently announced that up to $1.8 million will be used to help McGill University make climate efforts and energy efficiency improvements.

The money is funded from the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Fund, which has a $2 billion budget and a goal of investing in projects that: reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean growth, and help Canada reach its climate change goals as set out in the Paris Agreement.

Part of the $1.8 million that is going to McGill will be to help the university upgrade its heating, ventilation and distribution system, which will help lower their overall energy consumption, reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute towards cleaner air in the region.

The downtown campus for McGill will also be receiving part of the funding, to assist in replacing their fossil fuel consuming heating systems with clean energy heating sources, and to add a heat exchanger which will help recover some of the lost heat and reduce their overall energy consumption.

The Gault Nature Reserve site of McGill’s will also see part of the $1.8 million, helping to replace their oil consuming heating system with an electrical heating system.

The goal of these investments is in line with the goal of the Low Carbon Economy Fund - to reduce energy bills and consumption, create good jobs, and help Canada reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet their commitment within the Paris Agreement.

According to Clean Energy Canada, energy efficiency improvements provide enormous economic benefits to Canadians, with every $1 spent on improvements generating an approximate $7 of GDP.

Make Energy Efficiency Improvements at Home to Save on Utilities

While energy efficiency improvements are largely beneficial to improving Canada’s GDP and greenhouse gas emission reductions, they can also provide a large number of benefits for homeowners.

Even by making a few simple modifications or retrofits that improve your home’s energy efficiency, you could make your home more comfortable to live in, have better air quality and humidity levels, and an increased market value, all while saving on your monthly utilities bill.  

The most effective way of knowing which specific modifications would provide you with the biggest energy efficiency improvements per dollar spent, is to have a Home Energy Assessment conducted.

As part of the assessment, our Registered Energy Advisors will provide you with a comprehensive list of possible energy efficiency upgrades for you to consider, including the expected financial and energy savings of each individual upgrade. This allows you to make an informed decision, and to focus on the area of your home that needs the most attention.

Quite often, attic insulation and airtightness improvements are the most cost-effective way for a home to become more energy efficient and affordable to live in. Some improvements are even as simple as using a caulking gun to fill in the areas of air leakage that were marked by our advisors during your included Airtightness Test.

Additionally, a Home Energy Assessment can help your home qualify for up to $5,000 of home renovation rebates that both Union Gas and Enbridge are currently offering their customers. Our Registered Energy Advisors are happy to help you determine which rebate or rebates would be the best fit for your needs - contact us now for a free phone consultation to help you get started.