Green renovation rebates funded through cap and trade system cancelled

A series of rebates offered by the Ontario government for energy-efficient renovations has been cancelled.

A post on the GreenOn.ca website says several residential and commercial rebate programs, including those for ground source heat pumps and smart thermostats for homes, are now closed.

The site says, however, that rebates will be honoured for homeowners who submit an application by Sept. 30 or who have a signed work agreement with a participating contractor for work to be completed by Aug. 31.

The rebate program was announced last year and funded through proceeds from Ontario’s cap-and-trade program through a provincial agency called the Green Ontario Fund.

Its cancellation comes after Ontario’s incoming premier said he would carry out his campaign promise to scrap the cap-and-trade system and fight federal rules that would impose a carbon tax on provinces without their own carbon pricing system.

Doug Ford, who is expected to be sworn in as premier on June 29, said last week that getting rid of cap and trade would be his first order of business once the legislature resumes.

PC Spokesperson Jeff Silverstein told 680 News this cancellation was Ford delivering on his promise.

“Doug Ford received a clear mandate from the people of Ontario to cancel Kathleen Wynne’s cap-and-trade carbon tax and the slush fund that was paid for by the carbon tax,” said Silverstein. “Doug Ford is delivering on his promise to put more money back into people’s pockets.”

The New Democrats, who will form the province’s official Opposition, slammed Ford for the cancellation of the rebate program saying it was “beyond irresponsible to scrap clean air and climate-change initiatives with no plan to replace them.”

Ontario has made close to $3 billion in a series of cap-and-trade auctions since the system was introduced by the Liberals last year.

With files from News Staff