eco energy program - extension

[gotridet]

Anyone know if this will extended on April 1st?

[iherald]

Anyone know if this will extended on April 1st?

There has been no indication that it will.

[CaptSmethwick]

The news today suggests that something about this could be in tomorrow's budget.

[gotridet]

Looks like they are putting up 400mil.

My question is, if I've already participated and had a second audit. Can I still get a rebate by doing the repairs I hadn't done and audit again?

[janaka]

Looks like they are putting up 400mil.

My question is, if I've already participated and had a second audit. Can I still get a rebate by doing the repairs I hadn't done and audit again?

if its the same program then no. you got one shot at it.
if its a "new" program you may be able to but i doubt it.

[gocolts]

I am having my second audit today (Ontario's plan ends March 31)....I hope it is retroactive!!

[gotridet]

So they are 'extending' it. No details as to whether or not ppl can have a second audit. Getting voted down.

[jrees]

Not sure what the details were in the budget, but it doesn't really matter. It's not going to get passed.

[Impossibles]

blerg.
I'm replacing our windows next month, so at 8am I thought I was saving $800 and now I feel like I lost $800.

[38racing]

very annoying. Feds cancelled just before I went to get new furnace. Now I've got the furnace they bring the program back. I let my PC MP know I was not impressed

[fieldhousehandyman]

My furnace died after the feds cancelled the program, so I went ahead and took the province up on their offer of continuing to match. My second audit is scheduled for monday, and I will only claim $650 for the furnace, as well as two toilets. If the program is revived it will probably be new, and not retroactive, and the province may, or may not match it. If it does come back, I will get the basement sprayfoamed and do a few other things.

[will888]

The industry is well aware of these rebates and I am sure that they tack on a bit of extra costs when rebates are involved and so the consumer does not get 100%. There is a bit of sharing going on, better than getting nothing of course. It appears that the budget will not pass as another election will get in the way. I cannot see the conservatives bringing eco rebates back on the table again after the election. It was meant as an olive branch to the NDP. Since the opposition is being framed as the bad guys for forcing yet another election, this will surely push the conservatives into majority space. The provincial government is presenting a budget shortly. I wonder if they too are going to scrap the eco rebates on account of excessive debt/deficit. S/he who hesitates is lost, potentially.

[dvanderbyl]

Hi everyone

Please forward this email to your MPs & Candidates:
(To find your MP's email address enter your postal code at http://www2.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/comp....aspx?Menu=HOC) - You can also find info (Twitter/Facebook/Email) for candidates at http://politwitter.ca/

Please also send it to the CBC's Leader's Debate Email Address - question@electiondebate2011.ca
(Include name, address, & daytime phone number when emailing the CBC):

Hello CBC / Canada Votes,

I am voicing my support for Danny Vanderbyl's question about ecoENERGY for the leaders' debate. Please see the copy attached below.

Sincerely,


--

I have an urgent policy issue that needs national clarification from all political leaders.

"The Federal budget had included a renewal of the ecoEnergy retrofit program. Now, the program sits in limbo.
By all accounts, the ecoEnergy program is widely supported in public opinion and by all major parties. It helps the economy and the environment. It's a win-win!
My question to all leaders, is this: With the jobs of Retrofit Testers and renovation contractors presently hung in the balance, will you commit to Canadians that your "ecoENERGY" or "Green Renovation Tax Credit" is open for business TODAY, retroactive to the start of the financial year - (1 April 2011)? ...Or will you wait until it is winter, when it's too cold to renovate, to announce the program is ready?"

Will you put Canadians first and allow them to invest TODAY into the recovering economy, instead of putting Canadians off until the new budget is passed? Will you give Canadians access to the program and the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about whether they should, and how much they should invest into retrofitting their homes - right NOW?

In summary, as a citizen, I am asking for all politicians from all parties to get together and immediately remove the existing uncertainty regarding the ecoEnergy retrofit program ("Green Renovation Tax Credit.") Please cooperate to make this program active, retroactive to 1 April 2011, and open ended. Allow people to commence their investments right now, instead of waiting until the election is decided. This will be good for the recovering economy. There should not be uncertainty hanging over the program (and people's jobs) until the election is resolved.

>>Essentially, I'm asking all politicians to make an announcement to this effect:

"We, as the (re-)elected government, will honour all pre-retrofit inspections commenced as of 1 April 2011. We will direct the staff at NRCAN to accept applications for renovations commenced on or after 1 April, 2011. If you are planning home renovations, do go ahead and get your pre-retrofit evaluation done and invest your dollars into our recovering economy. This will also provide much-neeeded job security to our valued energy-efficiency testers, renovation contractors, and all the spinoff industries until the election is complete and the new budget in place. This is about putting the people of Canada first, ahead of partisan politics. Thank you."


Background:

The Liberals announced a "Green Renovation Tax Credit." which is a rebranded ecoENERGY program.

Families spend $10 on home renovations for every $1 paid in incentives, according to http://saveecoenergy.ca/

News article on eco testers being out of a job 1 April 2011: http://bit.ly/edtVRS

People are planning their lives around the program. People are booking time off work, leases expire during the summertime, and renovations are easier in the summer. Contractors are only available during certain times and delays are expensive. People need a place to live!

Many familes undoubtedly want to start their renovations with the pre-renovation audit (within the ecoEnergy retrofit program) right NOW! They simply want to get the evaluation done and have it count, regardless of the final details of the incentives of the program, from whichever government is elected.

In the broader picture, it seems that, at least according to one candidate (Stephen Woodworth - Kitchener Centre), the CPC is already committed to honouring its commitment to ecoEnergy (see https://twitter.com/#!/WoodworthCPC/...50480346447873). The real issue is - can people start retrofitting now and will our new government grandfather in those who begin now with the proper testing today?

[PhuFighter]

I have an urgent policy issue that needs national clarification from all political leaders.

"The Federal budget had included a renewal of the ecoEnergy retrofit program. Now, the program sits in limbo.
[B] By all accounts, the ecoEnergy program is widely supported in public opinion and by all major parties. It helps the economy and the environment. It's a win-win!

I thought I read that this really wasn't a very good tax credit, from an economical point of view. This is based on the premise that, in a vast majority of cases, the renovations would be made irrespective of the tax credits anyways, so using this is not really "helping" the economy more than not providing the credit. Indeed, in some cases, with both the provincial and federal programs in effect, that might encourage people to make the changes (e.g. $750 x2 = $1500 for adding attic insulation, where it would have only costed me $1100 to do that), but those cases are kind of rare. And in all honesty, I was going to spend the $1100 anyways (I only qualified for the provincial program).

While being "green" is a nice incentive, I think that there are probably better ways for the government to increase the energy efficiency of homes.

I'm getting $1900 back from the provincial rebates, and, trust me, i would dearly love to have even more back, especially with some of the other changes that I will be doing. But personal finances aside, I don't believe that it is a good economic program. Ditto with other boutique tax credits like the physical activity tax credit.

[dvanderbyl]

I thought I read that this really wasn't a very good tax credit, from an economical point of view. This is based on the premise that, in a vast majority of cases, the renovations would be made irrespective of the tax credits anyways, so using this is not really "helping" the economy more than not providing the credit. Indeed, in some cases, with both the provincial and federal programs in effect, that might encourage people to make the changes (e.g. $750 x2 = $1500 for adding attic insulation, where it would have only costed me $1100 to do that), but those cases are kind of rare. And in all honesty, I was going to spend the $1100 anyways (I only qualified for the provincial program).

While being "green" is a nice incentive, I think that there are probably better ways for the government to increase the energy efficiency of homes.

I'm getting $1900 back from the provincial rebates, and, trust me, i would dearly love to have even more back, especially with some of the other changes that I will be doing. But personal finances aside, I don't believe that it is a good economic program. Ditto with other boutique tax credits like the physical activity tax credit.

Fair enough PhuFighter. I respect your opinion. But I still like it