Evidence of meeting #122 for Natural Resources in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was businesses.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Geng Tan Liberal Don Valley North, ON
Thank you.
What is the role of the provincial government and the municipal government in fostering the growth of this kind of program of energy conservation and efficiency? What is the difference between the local government role and the role of the federal government?
Past President, British Columbia Advanced Conservation and Efficiency Association
It varies. If there are provincially owned power utilities, as there are in Manitoba and British Columbia, they have a very direct role. They can work with the federal government on codes and standards for new buildings. There is, however, a gap for existing buildings that I think needs to be addressed.
Niagara Falls, CPC
Thank you, witnesses, for your testimony.
This question is for Empower Me.
One thing you talked about, which my colleague from the NDP raised as well, is the whole question of energy poverty. You said there are programs involved with, I think, nine out of the 10 provinces. Are they working? Are they inadequate? Tell me what the results are.
Director, Kambo Energy Group, Empower Me
That's a really good question.
We have been working in this industry for 30 years, but we have been doing the work on the ground.
I know our friends over at Efficiency Canada and Corey Diamond, who was here a couple of weeks ago, are looking into this. We have been talking to them about getting a sense of which programs are working well and which could use some help. It's definitely part of our mandate and mission to help homes all over Canada learn from our successes and from things we have done wrong and learn from what they're doing right. There is no place right now for all these programs to come together. They're so fragmented.
Niagara Falls, CPC
It would be interesting to hear whatever analysis you have.
To complicate this, as recently as this morning it was predicted that Canadians will be paying between $300 and $400 more for their groceries next year. Again, anything that can be saved with respect to energy costs obviously will allow for more disposable income, much of which, I'm sure, goes to food.
That being said, you said there was no federal funding. Did you or others make applications to the federal government and just not get it, or is there just an absence of some particular program?
Director, Kambo Energy Group, Empower Me
There is no current funding that I am aware of specifically for energy poverty.
Niagara Falls, CPC
It would seem to me that you'd probably be aware of it, because you're in that business.
Director, Kambo Energy Group, Empower Me
I hope so, but I don't want to....
Director, Kambo Energy Group, Empower Me
Maybe there are some, but none that we're aware of.
For us, a federal strategy targeting energy poverty would help.
Niagara Falls, CPC
We'll make sure we take note of that here.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank both witnesses. Congratulations on the patent. I want to commend the work you're doing.
You talk about a living wage. You talk about seniors and poverty. From a parliamentary perspective, for our first nations communities, both indigenous and Inuit, we have to do more. The poverty levels are outrageous.
You said you were in B.C. and Alberta. What can we do to expand? Can you go into northern Ontario? In my neck of the woods, there are 110 first nations communities. Some are doing fairly well and some are not doing well.
Chief Executive Officer, Kambo Energy Group, Empower Me
Absolutely, we'd love to come.
Chief Executive Officer, Kambo Energy Group, Empower Me
We'd love to come visit you and help with that. The thing that has not allowed us to move into these additional markets is the lack of transparency on when funding is coming in and out of the market. If there were a long-term plan, a long-term strategy for capital to do these types of programs that were holistic in nature, and focused on results and accountability, we would like to put our hat in the mix to show the efficacy of the work that we're doing against other people in the industry that have different ideas as well.
What would help us is having that long-term holistic strategy matched with funding directly for the implementation of these projects.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Holistic, long-term.... Are you talking more capital or are you talking more on the innovation side...?
Chief Executive Officer, Kambo Energy Group, Empower Me
The private sector will innovate. If you fund the goal, if you have dollars available to implement energy efficiency opportunities to reach specific GHG reduction targets for specific kilowatt hour reductions, the private sector will innovate to hit those. It's a competitive market, so we will do that relatively efficiently.
Focusing capital on that goal across the country, and having organizations like ours apply for funding like that, would be the best strategy.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
Thank you ladies and gentlemen very much for coming today and contributing to our study. We very much appreciate it.
Thank you to our new members of the committee for stopping in. I will be sure to pass on to our regular members what a great job you did.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal James Maloney
You're welcome to come back any time.
We'll see everybody on Thursday.
The meeting is adjourned.