NEWMARKET, ON, Aug. 13,
2024 /CNW/ - Hundreds of thousands of Canadians are
switching to heat pumps as a way to cut their energy bills and
contribute to the fight against climate change. The increased
demand in heat pumps, backed by a range of government programming,
is supporting good jobs in a cleaner economy. Installing and
maintaining this technology requires new skills from heating,
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians.
Today, Julie Dabrusin,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate
Change and to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources,
announced over $500,000 in federal
funding to support the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Institute of Canada (HRAI) to help
address the skills gap for heat pump proficiency. She was joined by
Tony Van Bynen, Member of Parliament
for Newmarket—Aurora, Ontario, and
Nancy McKeraghan, Principal of Canco
ClimateCare and appointed Chair of HRAI.
The current residential HVAC workforce employs thousands of
technicians whose skills need to be updated as the heating and
cooling industry evolves. This investment by the Government of
Canada will help HRAI to:
- enable the industry to take on more work in the growing clean
economy;
- create a benchmark of skills and knowledge needed to safely and
competently install and service electric heat pumps;
- identify the skills gap in the existing workforce;
- work collaboratively with colleges to develop training that can
be delivered in an accelerated and flexible format to address the
identified gaps; and
- pilot this training with a small group of gas and licensed
technicians in Ontario.
By supporting initiatives like these, we are ensuring that the
HVAC workforce remains relevant, stays employed, and has the skills
to safely install and maintain heat pump technology as Canada moves toward a low carbon economy.
Quotes
"Canada is in the midst of a
heat pump boom. Heat pumps are the most affordable home heating and
cooling system on the market. They lower energy bills. They reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. And they create good jobs. Today's
announcement provides funding to train workers to ensure they can
benefit from the heat pump boom. Our workforce will remain one of
the most highly skilled in the world as Canada rapidly transitions to a low carbon
economy."
– Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
"As we make heat pumps more affordable and accessible to
Canadians, we need to empower our existing workforce and bridge the
skills gap. Heat pumps are a great way for homeowners and residents
to save money on their energy bills and a key technology in
Canada's move to greener energy,
but as the demand for the technology increases, so too does the
demand for skilled technicians who can install and maintain the
technology."
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and
Climate Change
"Energy efficiency means cost savings for Canadians. At a time
when we are facing challenges with affordability and climate
change, we are delivering on the Green Buildings Strategy. This
plan meets Canadians where they are at and delivers the action they
need, at the pace and scale they are demanding. Canada's first-ever Canada Green Buildings
Strategy is a plan to save Canadians money, create jobs, and seize
the economic opportunities that a clean and sustainable economy
presents, and the Toward Net-Zero Homes and Communities program
does just that."
– The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources
"I'm proud to see a local Newmarket business like Canco ClimateCare
leading the way in green home solutions like heat pumps,
contributing to our community and Canada's sustainable future. This investment
in training ensures our workforce can meet the growing demand for
energy-efficient technologies."
– Tony Van Bynen, Member of
Parliament for Newmarket—Aurora
"This project will identify specific skills deficiencies and the
education the current workforce may need to support today's (and
tomorrow's) heat pump technologies. It will inform employers and
training providers in the industry about needed training
development and will help focus apprenticeship efforts for
in-the-field experience."
–Martin Luymes, Vice President, Government and Stakeholder
Relations, HRAI
"At the end of the day, our goal with this project is to enable
the creation of training and apprentice supports that will empower
the workforce to safely and competently install and service today's
electric heat pumps, to ensure efficient operations, inspire
confidence from customers, and minimize service and warranty
issues."
– Sandy MacLeod, President and CEO,
HRAI
Quick facts
- Electric heat pumps are a proven technology that heat and cool
homes and other buildings by using electricity to move heat from
one space to another. In the winter, they draw heat from the
outside air and pump it into indoor spaces. In warmer weather, they
remove heat from an indoor space, thereby cooling it.
- As of 2023, seven percent of Canadian homes are using electric
heat pumps as their primary heating system, one in four Canadian
homeowners is planning to replace primary heating systems in the
next five years, and 300,000 heat pumps were shipped to
Canada in 2021, 20 percent more
than gas furnaces.
- The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute
(HRAI) of Canada is receiving
funding for its project remedying the heat pump technology skills
gap from the Low Carbon Economy Fund's Implementation Readiness
Fund stream and the federal Toward Net-Zero Homes and Communities
program.
- The average Canadian home that uses heating oil spends
$2,000 to $5,500 on energy bills per year, depending on the
province or territory – making it the most expensive heating
option. Homeowners who switch from an oil furnace to a cold climate
heat pump could save approximately $1,500 to $4,500
per year on their home energy bills.
- In July, the Government of Canada launched the Green Buildings Strategy,
the plan to make life cost less for Canadians, fight climate
change, and support good paying jobs across the country. The
Strategy aims to accelerate retrofits of existing buildings, ensure
we are building energy-efficient, climate-resilient, and affordable
buildings from the start, and seize the economic opportunities
associated with more efficient and lower-carbon building materials
and technologies. It introduces the $800
million Canada Greener Homes Affordability program to assist
low- to median-income Canadians, including tenants, by providing
home retrofits at no cost. It also includes a commitment to phase
out oil heating in new construction in the coming years.
- The Low Carbon Economy Fund supports projects to reduce
Canada's greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions, generate clean growth, build resilient communities, and
create good jobs for Canadians.
- The Toward Net-Zero Homes and Communities program provides
funding to support the implementation of original and creative
tools and methods to pursue net-zero residential building emissions
by 2050, and initiatives that empower all residents to contribute
to Canada's transition to this
goal of net-zero residential building emissions. The program
supports Indigenous, rural and remote, and under-resourced
communities in their efforts to reduce residential GHG
emissions.
- As part of the Low Carbon Economy Fund, the Implementation
Readiness Fund stream focuses on developing and enhancing human
and/or institutional resources such as workforce development and
training, network development, and knowledge sharing.
Associated links
- The Low Carbon Economy Fund
- Implementation Readiness Fund
- 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan – Canada's Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong
Economy
- Toward net-zero homes and communities
Environment and Climate Change Canada's X (Twitter) page
Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page
SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada