Natural Resources Canada: Save Money on Home Renovations Now! Minister Raitt Announces Limited-Time Offer for Canadian

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Mar 30 (MARKET WIRE) --
Canadian homeowners are being urged to act now to take advantage of a new
opportunity to save money on home energy retrofits. The Honourable Lisa
Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources, announced today that effective
today, for a limited time, grants under the ecoENERGY- Retrofit Homes
program will increase by 25 percent.

"This is a great chance for Canadians to save money on home renovations
that will cut their energy bills for years to come - but I do encourage
homeowners to act quickly," said Minister Raitt. "This special increase
in grants is for a maximum of two years only, putting money back in
Canadians' pockets when they need it most."

As an added incentive, Minister Raitt pointed out that in many cases,
homeowners who retrofit their homes to make them more energy efficient
could also qualify for the Government of Canada's new Home Renovation Tax
Credit, worth up to $1,350.

"This is a great deal for homeowners and it's a great deal for
Canadians," said Minister Raitt. "As more people retrofit their homes,
they'll be generating economic activity and protecting and creating jobs
in communities across the country - and, of course, as we become more
energy efficient, we're also reducing emissions."

As part of the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan, an additional
$300 million is being invested in the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program.
This will allow as many as 200,000 more homeowners to participate in the
program over the next two years, generating an estimated $2.4 billion in
economic activity across Canada.

The ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program will provide homeowners with
grants of up to $5,000 to offset the cost of making energy-efficiency
improvements. Grants apply to a range of measures that reduce energy
consumption and provide for a cleaner environment, from increasing
insulation to upgrading windows and doors. With the 25 percent increase
in grants, the program will cover a larger share of the cost incurred by
homeowners who carry out retrofits that improve energy efficiency. For
example, the eligible grant for a high-efficiency gas furnace will
increase to $625 from $500.

To qualify, homeowners must first have a pre-retrofit energy evaluation
by a certified evaluator and a post evaluation following the renovations.
Funds are available for a limited time (to March 31, 2011) and are
subject to availability. Homeowners are encouraged to apply early.

FOR BROADCAST USE:

Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt is urging Canadian homeowners to
act quickly to take advantage of a limited-time, 25 percent increase in
grants available under the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program. A total of
$300 million in additional grants will help more Canadians make their
homes more energy-efficient and will also create and protect jobs in
communities across Canada.

www.actionplan.gc.ca

www.ecoACTION.gc.ca

The following backgrounder is available at www.nrcan.gc.ca/media

ecoENERGY-Retrofit Program Expanded

NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at
www.nrcan.gc.ca/media

Contacts:
Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa
Office of the Minister
Jasmine MacDonnell
Press Secretary
613-996-2007

Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa
Media Relations
613-992-4447

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