Canada amends Energy Efficiency Regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Canada Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr has announced an amendment to Energy Efficiency Regulations in a bid to help citizens save billions in energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Energy efficiency improvement is expected to increase the performance of 20 household appliances and commercial equipment ranging from refrigerators to clothes, washers, electric motors, and icemakers.
Around $1.8bn in energy costs is expected to be saved by Canadians by 2030, reducing around 0.7megatonnes of GHG emissions in that year.
Jim Carr said: “This amendment to the Energy Efficiency Regulations is good news for Canadian consumers and industry. It will save energy costs, reduce GHG emissions and, by harmonising standards with the US, facilitate trade while reducing costs for product testing.”
Treasury Board president Scott Brison said: “As part of the Treasury Board Secretariat’s responsibility for overseeing Canada’s regulatory framework, I am pleased that we are taking steps to align and improve appliance and equipment efficiency standards by 2020. This is good for businesses and consumers on both sides of the border.”
Energy efficiency regulations are one of the cost-effective tools to reduce GHG emissions and is used by nearly 50 countries to tackle climate change.
The amendment to the Energy Efficiency Regulations, which were published in Canada Gazette Part II, is currently under a 75-day public comment period.
The regulation is scheduled to become effective six months after the publication following receipt of inputs from business and consumer stakeholder organisations.