Carney Revives Green Home Incentives

0:00It's April 1st. This is Vancouver News today, local news powered by AI. Prime Minister Mark Carney is doubling down on his promise to bring back Green Home and Centres for Canadians, stuff he pitched hard during his liberal. Leadership run about a year ago. Key ones include restarting the Greener Homes Grant for low-income folks, offering discounts on energy-saving retrofits, and boosting the oil to heat. Pump switch program that can cover more than $10,000 for qualifying households. Earlier this year, his government did deliver on electric vehicle subsidies, and more charging stations as part of the new auto plan. But the bigger home retrofit promises are still in the works, over a year into his term. Carney told reporters Tuesday and Wakefield Quebec that they're shifting these programs from natural resources Canada to environment and climate. Change Canada to make them hit harder. The original Greener Homes Grant shut down in February 2024 after exploding in popularity. $500,000 applications and over.

1:03$700 million in grants for things like insulation, windows, and solar. Critics from environmental groups say its success was actually the issue, since it drained funds fast and got too pricey to sustain. Folks like former Environment Minister Steven Gilbolt argue reviving it would ease affordability pains while tackling climate change and sparking jobs. Climate Minister Julie Daverson highlighted a fresh pilot with Manitoba launched last September giving no cost retrofits like insulation and heat. Pump's to low and middle income homeowners and renters. Carney insists it's a top priority, with teams refining the details now to maximize impact when they roll out.