Save ecoENERGY Retrofit

The final tally is in on the popular eco-energy retrofit program that the Conservative government ended suddenly amid a storm of protest in January. Throughout the five-year life of the program, which provided rebates for energy-saving home renovations, Ottawa paid $934-million in grants to nearly one in 20 Canadian households, or 640,000 beneficiaries. In its final year, however, the eco-energy program came in under budget, as the government paid out $190-million despite budgeting $400-million for it.
 
Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver – who was slammed by opposition parties for ending the program earlier than planned – declared it a success. “Our government has successfully exercised prudent use of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars, while encouraging Canadians to make energy efficient choices,” he said in a statement Friday.