One Phone Call: All Energy Upgrade Programs
Kim and Daniel* are retired seniors who have lived in their 1980s-built home just over ten years.
Their home is oil-heated and the furnace and oil tank need costly repairs. Even if Kim and Daniel choose to proceed with the repairs, they will continue to pay oil bills—which keep rising. The couple are on a fixed income and want to reduce both spending and their carbon footprint. They know government programs exist—but where do they find them? Are they eligible? What are the deadlines? How do they apply?
Does this sound familiar?
In recent years, federal and provincial governments have launched several programs to help homeowners pay for energy-efficiency upgrades. Some programs offer loans and rebates, some provide installations or assessments. Most are restricted to particular upgrades, buildings, dollar amounts, and locations. While all efforts toward energy efficiency are welcome, accessing these various and changing programs can be confusing and time-consuming.
But what if you could pick up the phone, call one number, and get help? What if you could talk to a real person who would guide you through all available programs, find the ones that fit, and even help you fill out the forms?
Energize Bridgewater has that person.
Josie Rudderham is the navigator for Energize Bridgewater’s Home Upgrade program. Her job is unique in Nova Scotia: she steers residents through available options and helps find energy upgrade programs that work for them. Having a single contact point helps everyone, but especially people who have limited access to, or familiarity with, the internet; are working long or irregular hours; are newcomers; are experiencing challenges caring for themselves or others; or are on fixed incomes.
Frustrated with the rising cost of oil, Daniel paid a visit to his MLA. From there, he was directed to Energize Bridgewater and Josie. And from there, he says, applying for the Home Upgrade program was easy: “I thought: now we’re getting somewhere!” Kim and Daniel recently completed the home energy assessment, which is the next step after the application is approved. They are eagerly waiting for results and recommendations.
Monica* is also a senior living in Bridgewater. She bought a mini (or mobile) home in 2022 but has struggled to heat it. For people who own mobile homes, navigating government energy programs can be challenging because while their home is owned, the land is leased. This means residents are eligible for some programs but not others. In addition, options for heating mobile homes are limited. Monica has a single heat pump in her living room but finds it does not heat sufficiently and the frequent changes in temperature affect her health. She relies on electric baseboard heating and is concerned about increasing costs.
Monica learned about the Energize Bridgewater Home Upgrade program on social media and had the assessment completed last December. She’s unsure what the program will recommend for her mini home—but she recommends the program to everyone. “Josie can steer you in the right direction,” she says.
“Otherwise, a lot of people would be confused by the paperwork and all the ifs and buts. It’s so great to have someone you can call right here in the community.”
Many people struggling with rising bills devise their own lower-cost solutions. Monica installed blinds. Many of her friends use space heaters, wear several layers, keep heat localized by closing doors or hanging blankets, or simply spend more time in heated places like the mall.
Louise and Tony* have taken creative solutions a step further. Their 1940s-built home is oil-heated but was not insulated when the couple moved in. They installed their own insulation, bought a secondhand heat pump for the basement, and even crafted their own thermal storage unit. Still, Tony says, “furnace is running all the time even on mild days.”
They learned about Bridgewater’s Home Upgrade program at the South Shore Sustainability Summit held in September 2023. They have since applied to the program and are waiting for the home assessment. Louise and Tony are hoping for expert advice on insulating hard-to-reach places like the attic and closets and also help with purchasing a new heat pump for the main floor.
“We don’t have big chunks of cash to spend,” Louise says. “In fact, we constantly calculate if we are able to stay in our home or if we have to move. So the Home Upgrade program is wonderful.”
Bridgewater’s program is still new, with many homeowners at the application or assessment stage. A shortage of contractors in Nova Scotia has lengthened the projected time between application and completed upgrades to approximately 16 months. Nonetheless, combining all available programs ultimately means a shorter, more streamlined process. For example, if homeowners accessed all available programs separately, they would require up to five home energy assessments. Through Energize Bridgewater, they require only two, one at the start and one after upgrades are complete.
By providing a single contact person, a streamlined process, and the flexibility to meet residents’ unique needs, Energize Bridgewater is building relationships and making energy upgrades as easy as possible.
You can call Josie to learn more about Energize Bridgewater Home Upgrades at (902) 530-3621 or email info@energizebridgewater.ca
*Names have been changed.