OTTAWA — Ottawa intends to ban the installation of oil furnaces in new construction as soon as 2028, Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced Tuesday.
The federal government’s planned phase-out of heating oil would be paired with more financial support for Canadians to purchase and install heat pumps instead.
Liberal ministers say the Canada Green Buildings Strategy released Tuesday aims to drive energy efficiency improvements while addressing affordability and emissions.
It seeks to accelerate retrofitting of existing buildings, ensure buildings are climate-resilient and use lower-carbon building materials and technology.
In a statement, Wilkinson described the document as “a plan to save Canadians money, create jobs and seize the economic opportunities that a clean and sustainable economy presents.”
He added that the pace and scale of the plan will meet Canadians where they are.
Last fall, the Liberal government announced it would remove the federal consumer carbon price from the purchase of home heating oil for three years.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the intention was to allow people with oil furnaces more time and money to replace them with electric heat pumps.
In Tuesday’s strategy, the federal government committed to introducing a regulatory framework to ban heating oil in newly constructed buildings as soon as 2028.
The document says there would be exemptions for regions without sufficient access to the electricity grid, and where backup fuel is required.
The plan says the regulations would apply in provinces where similar measures are not already in place, noting that Quebec banned oil furnaces in new construction as of this year, and Nova Scotia has committed to do the same.
Housing Minister Sean Fraser said in a news release that the measures in the strategy will improve longevity for both new and existing buildings.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2024.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
