Mr. Speaker, as of yesterday, the people of Quebec have access to the Recyc-Frigo Environnement program, implemented by Hydro-Québec. The program will help to collect and recycle 230,000 energy-consuming appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers, by 2010. This new program will make it possible to save about 180 million kilowatts-heures of energy over the next three years. It is a free collection service for this type of appliance, and owners will receive a $60 incentive for each appliance recycled.
Participants must be Quebec residents. A form is available online and a specialized carrier will pick up the appliance at the resident's home. This is the kind of program that the Conservative government could have implemented with the budget surplus, as the Bloc Québécois suggested.
As a retired Hydro-Québec employee, and as a Bloc Québécois member, I applaud this wonderful initiative.