Calgary committee recommends expanding clean energy incentive program

Calgary is a step closer to expanding a clean energy incentive program for residential and commercial properties.

Calgary is one step closer to expanding its Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) for residential properties and allowing commercial property owners to apply.

A city committee voted in favour of a pair of motions seeking $30 million in borrowing to open up low-interest loans for Calgary property owners who want to add solar panels, upgrade to high-efficiency windows or a furnace and more.

“Investing more dollars into that fund absolutely makes sense at a time when Calgarians are facing affordability issues and they’re trying to figure out ways that they can bring their energy bills down,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.

An initial program for homeowners, mostly funded through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, had seen high demand, with each application window filling up in under 15 minutes, officials said.

Solar panel installation companies have seen demand skyrocket in recent years, in part due to incentive programs such as the CEIP.

“It’s almost like buying concert tickets where you need to be there as soon as it opens to be able to get into this program. There’s extremely high demand for this program,” said David Vonesch, the president and CEO of SkyFire Energy Inc.

Successful applicants are able to receive loans from the city to cover the installation of clean energy projects and pay them back, with interest, through their own property taxes. Only people who are part of the CEIP pay for it, officials say, and the cost stays with the property if and when someone sells a home.

The expanded program would allow for projects at an additional 600 homes. If passed, commercial property owners could apply for a similar program, too.

Coun. Dan McLean voted against both motions at committee, saying it shouldn’t be up to the city to act as a bank.

“My argument is, why is the city getting involved in banking? And I don’t think we should be focusing on core services, delivering to the public,” McLean said.

“I’m all for you wanting to upgrade your home, replace your windows or your furnace if you want to. You can go to your bank and get a loan to do that,” he added.

The pair of motions was endorsed by a city committee on Tuesday morning, but debate and final approval will still have to come from council as a whole at a future meeting.