October 15, 2023
George Heyman,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Dear Minister Heyman:
My quest to retrofit my Nanaimo home with a heat pump began in January of 2022. A heat pump system was installed on September 29, 2023. There is one major problem with the CleanBC rebate program, and a simple solution to it, that I feel I must share with you.
During my heat pump quest I joined the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub (NCAH) and took the lead in its Affordable Heat Pump Campaign. The NCAH is one of the 236 groups that are members of the West Coast Climate Action Network (WE-CAN). On September 11, 2023 WE-CAN wrote an open letter to Premier Eby. It begins with the heading
The Climate Crisis:
We Implore You to Act With More Urgency.
Item three of the WE-CAN letter says: “...some installers have been increasing their prices to scoop up the heat pump rebates”. I agree, and suggest the following quick, easy, and effective way to resolve this problem and demonstrate your resolve to act on the climate crisis with urgency.
When asked, eighteen of the twenty Nanaimo area CleanBC IQP listed heat pump installation companies refused to provide a breakdown for the various components of the price they would charge to “Supply and Install” a heat pump system in my Nanaimo home. What are they hiding? You can quickly resolve the problem and bring prices down by telling CleanBC officials that you would like to see transparent pricing on installation estimates, and requiring it if they do not act on your request.
When heat pump customers know what they are being asked to pay for each of the various parts of "Supply and Install" they can ask questions like: Why is this heat pump $4000 more then the one at the home improvement store? Is that warranty really worth it? Or is it already covered by the manufacturer? Does it really cost $5000 to have one or two workers on the job for one day?
The spreadsheet below shows the impact of transparent pricing on the cost of installing a heat pump system in my Nanaimo home.
Here is a one page list of Impactful Climate Solution Policies from the East Kootenay Climate Action Hub. And a more detailed Backgrounder to the one pager, should you want more information.
Larry Whaley, Nanaimo BC
George Heyman,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Dear Minister Heyman:
My quest to retrofit my Nanaimo home with a heat pump began in January of 2022. A heat pump system was installed on September 29, 2023. There is one major problem with the CleanBC rebate program, and a simple solution to it, that I feel I must share with you.
During my heat pump quest I joined the Nanaimo Climate Action Hub (NCAH) and took the lead in its Affordable Heat Pump Campaign. The NCAH is one of the 236 groups that are members of the West Coast Climate Action Network (WE-CAN). On September 11, 2023 WE-CAN wrote an open letter to Premier Eby. It begins with the heading
The Climate Crisis:
We Implore You to Act With More Urgency.
Item three of the WE-CAN letter says: “...some installers have been increasing their prices to scoop up the heat pump rebates”. I agree, and suggest the following quick, easy, and effective way to resolve this problem and demonstrate your resolve to act on the climate crisis with urgency.
When asked, eighteen of the twenty Nanaimo area CleanBC IQP listed heat pump installation companies refused to provide a breakdown for the various components of the price they would charge to “Supply and Install” a heat pump system in my Nanaimo home. What are they hiding? You can quickly resolve the problem and bring prices down by telling CleanBC officials that you would like to see transparent pricing on installation estimates, and requiring it if they do not act on your request.
When heat pump customers know what they are being asked to pay for each of the various parts of "Supply and Install" they can ask questions like: Why is this heat pump $4000 more then the one at the home improvement store? Is that warranty really worth it? Or is it already covered by the manufacturer? Does it really cost $5000 to have one or two workers on the job for one day?
The spreadsheet below shows the impact of transparent pricing on the cost of installing a heat pump system in my Nanaimo home.
Here is a one page list of Impactful Climate Solution Policies from the East Kootenay Climate Action Hub. And a more detailed Backgrounder to the one pager, should you want more information.
Larry Whaley, Nanaimo BC
