A Win for Bridgewater!
Town receives a national award for energy programs
The Town of Bridgewater has been recognized—again—as a national leader on climate change and energy affordability.
The town has won a 2024 Sustainable Communities Award. These awards are presented by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities or FCM. The FCM is an organization that supports over 2,000 cities, towns and rural areas across Canada.
This is a second big win for Bridgewater. In 2019, the Town won the national Smart Cities Canada Challenge. The winning $5 million grant helped to create Energize Bridgewater.
Now, programs run by Energize Bridgewater are among the best in the country. The 2024 award recognizes our “cutting-edge” work, according to the FCM.
Leading-Edge Programs
What is Energize Bridgewater doing to create such a buzz?
Energy affordability is key to our programs. We cannot address the complex problem of climate change without looking at the household level: Who can afford to properly heat their home? Who can afford energy-saving upgrades like heat pumps?
A survey done in 2022 showed that 38 percent of Bridgewater residents are struggling with energy affordability. This means that these residents cannot heat or cool their homes to a safe and comfortable temperature. Further, they struggle to access home upgrades that could save energy and money.
At the same time, Bridgewater has pledged to become a “net zero community” by 2050. That is, Bridgewater aims to reduce the Town’s carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
These two issues—energy affordability and reducing emissions—are linked. They must be tackled together.
Three Award-Winning Programs
Energize Bridgewater has three programs to reduce emissions and address energy affordability:
An open “front door” for our most vulnerable residents. Energize Bridgewater partners with South Shore Open Doors Association (SSODA) and other organizations. Together, we connect residents to the community services they need. This might include help with paying energy bills or finding more energy-efficient housing.
Easy access to home upgrades. The federal and provincial government offer many grants and rebates for home energy upgrades. But the paperwork can be complicated. Energize Bridgewater provides a one-stop shop to learn what options are available for your home and to guide you through the home upgrades process. We even hire contractors for you!
Tracking energy use. Energize Bridgewater has developed new technology to allow residents to track their household electricity use in real time. The technology also monitors indoor and outdoor air quality and temperature. The goal is to help residents make better decisions about energy use and available upgrades.
Find Out More
Energize Bridgewater has made it easy to learn about and access these programs. Our “Navigator” can be contacted by phone, email, and in person. The Navigator provides confidential, personal support through all stages of the programs.
To learn more, see the “Programs” section on our website’s menu above.
The Sustainable Communities Award shows that Bridgewater’s programs are among the most innovative and effective in Canada. Moreover, cities and towns across the country can learn from Bridgewater’s success and develop similar programs.
To learn more about the award, see the announcement and case study on the FCM website, as well as the Town of Bridgewater’s media release.