Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I congratulate Mr. Knight for his comments. I find them very accurate. We need those types of comments to guide us, particularly on the topic of the grid.
I would like to ask one brief question in reference to what you said. Several questions, such as those asked by Mr. Gourde, concerned the cost of such a house. Bearing in mind the concept of the net-zero energy house, a house heated exclusively through solar energy is more expensive in the beginning, as I recall. Several years later, however, it is not more expensive. When homes used to cost $75,000, houses with solar energy heating were built for $75,000.
In the beginning, construction of R-2000 homes cost $3,000 or $4,000 more. It was during the time when houses were worth $75,000. After a few years, however, the additional features paid for themselves. That is exactly what you or your colleague were saying: in the long run, it is not more expensive. It is therefore important to understand that a certain market volume needs to be attained. However, in order to attain this market volume, the government must absolutely do something very important: it must educate the public, send out information and make announcements.
The R-2000 program was sustained by the government for 10 years. It's hard to imagine launching a net-zero energy house program and abandoning it immediately afterward. That is what happened with the R-2000 program: it was dropped, and that was the end of it. In fact, smaller houses in Mr. Gourde's region do not meet the R-2000 standard, even though they should. There is no reason for that, because now they are not more expensive.
Are you going to ask the federal government to support a public information and incentive program? How much would you ask for?