Province Says It's Great to be Green

More than 20,000 Nova Scotians visiting the fall Ideal Home Show will get expert advice to help them save energy and stay warm this winter, and for winters to come.

Conserve Nova Scotia is sponsoring the Great to be Green section of the home show at Exhibition Park, Oct. 3 to 5. Nova Scotians can learn how to make their home more energy efficient and save money on their home heating bills.

"We're helping people make green choices so they can lower their energy bills and do their part for the environment," said Richard Hurlburt, Minister Responsible for Conserve Nova Scotia. "Through programs like EnerGuide, energy upgrades can lower energy bills by about 30 per cent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by five tonnes a year."

Conserve Nova Scotia will provide information about a number of programs including the $92-million Heat Smart plan that offers:

• zero-interest loans to people who have an EnerGuide audit and want to make energy-efficiency upgrades to their home
• $500 rebates for homeowners who replace an old furnace with a more energy-efficient heating system
• $450 in heating assistance for more low- and modest–income Nova Scotians who pay to heat their homes
• how-to-videos and an informative brochure to help Nova Scotians make changes themselves to make their homes less costly to heat

The eight per cent rebate on provincial tax continues to be available to all Nova Scotians who heat their homes with electricity and other energy sources.

"The high cost of home heating is on the minds of many Nova Scotians, and our Heat Smart programs will help people this winter, and permanently lower home energy bills for years to come," said Mr. Hurlburt. "These initiatives help people use less energy, which moves us towards our goal to have one of the cleanest and most sustainable environments in the world by 2020."

Since Conserve Nova Scotia was created in 2006, the agency has helped more than 300,000 Nova Scotians make better energy choices. With more than 50 programs and initiatives, the agency is helping Nova Scotians use energy more efficiently, and reduce energy consumption.

More information, tips and ideas about energy efficiency and conservation are available on the website at www.conservens.ca or by calling the toll-free EnerInfo line at 1-800-670-4636.