Energy efficiency programs in Indigenous communities

In Canada, there are several conservation programs aimed at helping to reduce energy use and improve energy efficiency in a wide array of settings. In particular, there are a few different programs that are specific to aiding First Nation communities with reducing their electricity usage in residential settings.

In this guide, we’ll be going through important information for both the Ontario and British Columbia iterations of this program such as eligibility criteria and what upgrades are available through this program.

What is the First Nations Conservation Program in Ontario?

The First Nations Conservation Program in Ontario helps to qualify First Nation homes that are on-reserve with energy conservation and energy efficiency. The Independent Electricity System Operator and Save on Energy offer this program and deliver its services free of charge for eligible customers.

How does the program work?

1. Your Home’s Energy Use is Examined

Your home will be visited, and recommendations will be made for the best upgrades for your home. Things that will be examined include the type of light bulbs you’re using, the age of your appliances (e.g. fridges and window AC units) and if there are areas of poor insulation such as in your attic or basement if your home is electrically heated.

2. Energy Efficient Upgrades Will be Installed

After an assessment of your home’s energy efficiency, upgrades will be supplied and installed at no cost to aid in electricity conservation.

3. Other Advice on Energy Efficiency

You’ll be shown how to best use the new upgrades to your home as well as other ways that you can save on energy usage.

What are upgrades are possible with this program?

Below are upgrades that may be provided with this program:

• Block heater timers
• Programmable thermostats
• Weatherstripping
• Low-flow showerheads
• ENERGY STAR certified appliances
• Energy STAR certified LED bulbs
• Smart power bars
• Faucet aerators
• Attic and basement insulation
• Hot water tank wrap and pipe insulation

Who qualifies for this program?

To qualify for the First Nations Conservation Program in Ontario, you need to meet the following requirements:

• You must be a First Nations person living in a participating First Nations community.
• If you own your home, it must be your primary residence.
• You must be a primary or secondary account holder or live in band-owned housing.
• If you rent your home, you must have the consent of the building owner/manager.

What communities have been visited?

Below is a list of communities where improvements to home energy efficiency have been made:

• Aundeck Omni Kaning
• Chippewa of the Thames
• Constance Lake
• Matachewan
• Mattagami
• M’Chigeeng
• Mississauga #8
• Moose Deer Point
• Munsee-Delaware
• Pic River
• Rainy River
• Rama
• Sheguiandah
• Taykwa Tagamou
• Wabaseemoong
• Wahnapitae
• Wasauksing
• Whitefish River

How can I see if my community will be visited? Where can I get more information?

If you’re a member of a First Nations community in Ontario, you can contact First Nations Engineering Services Limited at fncp@fnesl.ca to see if they will visit your community. For more information and other inquiries, you can contact 1-844-349-8972.

What is the First Nations Conservation Program in British Columbia?

There are two programs aimed at assisting Indigenous communities with energy efficiency in BC – the BC Hydro Indigenous Communities Conservation Program and the FortisBC Indigenous Communities Conservation Program. Much like the conservation program in Ontario, free energy-saving products such as showerheads and weatherstripping are provided. Certified energy auditors work with the community to identify significant areas of heat loss and inefficiencies within homes.

Additionally, training is provided for local contractors and installers for upgrading such homes.

Lastly, BC Hydro and FortisBC both offer rebates on home efficiency upgrades including but not limited to ventilation, windows, insulation, doors, furnaces, heat pumps, water heaters and new appliances in eligible BC communities. You can refer to the ‘What are upgrades are possible with this program?’ section for the program in Ontario to get an idea of what upgrades would be available for the BC programs as well.

How do these programs work?

A designated Project Lead from your community will be responsible for working with BC Hydro/FortisBC for delivering the program locally.

That may include:

• Hiring people to install free energy saving products (with salary support from BC Hydro).
• Applying to BC Hydro for rebates on eligible home energy upgrades that have been installed.
• Coordinating visits to homes where trained people will assess opportunities for energy upgrades and energy-saving products in residences.
• Coordinating training between Band staff and local installers/contractors.
• Ordering free energy saving products for homes via BC Hydro’s online store front.

Who is eligible?

Below are the conditions required to be eligible for this program:

• Individuals must live in an Indigenous community (Band) located within BC Hydro’s or FortisBC’s service territory.

These programs are ideal for Bands that:

• Have plans to complete energy efficiency upgrades and require support for improving energy efficiency.
• Previously participated in the Energy Conservation Assistance Program but would like to complete additional home efficiency upgrades.
• Have job readiness programs or trades training that provide local skilled labor.

Where can you apply?

 To get started, you can contact BC Hydro at 1-866-266-6366 or email indigenousconservation@bchydro.com or FortisBC at 1-866-884-8833 (Press 4) or email conservationassistance@fortisbc.com. There will be a designated Project Lead in your community who will coordinate one or both programs in your community.

Should you leave your heating on all day?

One part of winter most people don’t love is the costs of heating their homes – seeing your winter energy costs being up to hundreds of dollars more than your summer energy costs is never a pleasant surprise.

Still, that doesn’t mean you can simply just shut off your heat. One piece of advice we often see for saving money and keeping your house warm at the same time is to leave the central heat running all the time. But is it actually cheaper to keep heat running all day? In this post, we’ll answer the big ‘is it cheaper to keep heating on all day?’ question, as well as include tips and advice on how to best use central heating.

Does turning the heat on and off cost more?

As it turns out, it’s best to adjust your indoor temperature according to the time of day/whether you’re around or not. According to Energy.Gov, it’s a common misconception “that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings.” In fact, the closer your interior temperature is to outdoor temperature, the slower your home’s heat loss will be and the less energy will need to be used to maintain the internal temperature.

In whatever case, though, you shouldn’t be completely shutting off your home’s heating at any point when it’s cold out – when your house gets too cold, you risk your pipes freezing over and eventually bursting, which can cost upwards of several hundreds of dollars to repair. So, in the sense of completely shutting off your heat and cranking it back up, it will cost you more.

There are also health risks associated with setting your thermostat at a too-low temperature during winter, especially for seniors. Ideally, elderly adults shouldn’t set their thermostat at a temperature lower than 18 degrees Celsius.

So then, how should your heat settings be programmed? In the interest of keeping your house at a reasonable temperature and preventing freezing issues, set your thermostat at a lower temperature during sleeping hours to help save money. For example, as stated in our post about tips for using thermostats, lowering your house’s temperature to 16 degrees Celsius when you’re away and when you’re sleeping could save you approximately 2.3% in electricity usage and reduce natural gas usage by about 13%.

So, overall, keeping heating on throughout the day is advisable, but not at a consistently high temperature.

How to Get the Most Out of Central Heating – Affordable Ways of Heating Your Home

Now that you know whether you should turn your heat off or down, here are some tips to help you achieve more cost-effective heating at home.

Check For Places in Need of More Insulation

Any amount of household heat isn’t going to do much if your house is poorly insulated. In the interest of not heating your home excessively, you can inspect your attic and walls for their level of insulation.

Organizations like ENERGY STAR have tips for how to assess insulation on your own such as:

• If the insulation in your attic is level with or below the attic floor joists, it’s likely that you need to add more insulation. For the most appropriate type of insulation, Home Depot recommends R-60 batt or blown insulation for the ceiling spaces below attics. You can also view our post here for recognizing poorly insulated areas.

Consider Space Heaters

If you’re working from home and you’re mostly confined to one room, you might want to consider using a space heater for a more economical way of keeping warm. Keeping the rest of your house cool (but not cool enough to freeze over your pipes or to harm your health) can help you save up to 10% on your yearly heating costs. To calculate the cost of using a spacer heater, you can use this formula below:

Watts (the watt rating or setting of your heater) x hours of operation ÷ 1,000 x kilowatt-hour (kWh) electric rate

For example, we’ll use a 1500 watt space heater and we’ll say that we are running it for 24 hours per day. Our kilowatt-hour electric rate will be $0.12 per kWh. So our equation will look like:

1500 watts x 24 hours ÷ 1000 x $0.12 = $4.32 per day, or $129.60 a month.

Ensure You Have a Programmable Thermostat

If you have a pretty routine schedule, having a programmable thermostat can help you take advantage of that and lower your heat settings at opportune times so that your heating bill isn’t so high. You can learn more about how programmable thermostats can help you save on energy costs in our post here.

Clean Your Warm Air Registers Regularly

Although this is relatively easy to do, many individuals overlook it. Simply remove your air vents and use your vacuum to clear away any dirt or debris inhibiting heat circulation in the vent holes. For the vents themselves, you can clean them with warm, soapy water.

Other Ways to Save on Energy Usage

Did you know that one simple way to save on your energy bills is to compare your electricity and natural gas rates to the rates provided by other energy retailers in your area?

Sites like EnergyRates.ca can help you find the best energy rates in your area with just a few clicks – just fill in the type of service you’re looking for and your postal code.

Additionally, EnergyRates.ca can provide quotes and personalized advice for businesses, commercial and industrial operations based on their energy needs. To get in touch, simply fill in this form or call 1-855-635-9608.

As the weather gets colder outside, our usage of natural gas generally increases, whether it’s from turning up the furnace or using our hot water heaters a lot more.

With increased natural gas usage, it’s important to know how to tell if you have a gas leak – we’ll cover everything you need to know about gas leaks, such as natural gas safety tips, and who to contact when you suspect one is occurring.

What is a natural gas leak?

A natural gas leak (or home gas leak) refers to when natural gas leaks from appliances, pipes or other contained places into an area where it shouldn’t be.

The risks of a natural gas leak

Whenever there’s a natural gas leak, there’s also a risk of fire since electrical appliances or anything that creates sparks or flame can ignite natural gas. Natural gas leaks can also cause expensive property damage as well as increased natural gas bills.

Additionally, there are several health risks that we will go into further in this guide.

What does a gas leak smell like?

On its own, natural gas doesn’t actually have an odour. Typically, a chemical called mercaptan is added which gives natural gas a smell that’s similar to rotten eggs. This makes it easier for people to detect if there’s a leak in their house.

Signs and health symptoms of a gas leak

Below are some of the most common signs of a gas leak as well as the associated health symptoms:

Common signs:

• Houseplants suddenly dying/dead plants.
• Bubbles, dust, or a ‘cloud’ in standing water.
• A hissing or whistling sound.
• Visible damage to a gas line connection.

Natural gas leak symptoms from gas inhalation:

• Headache.
• Eye and/or throat irritation.
• Reduced appetite and/or nausea.
• Irritability, depression, or other mood changes.
• Ringing in your ears.
• Frequent nosebleeds.
• Difficulty breathing and/or chest pains.
• Being lightheaded and/or dizzy.

How to detect a natural gas leak

Below are a few ways that you can detect a gas leak in your home:

• Check for a rotten egg or sulfur smell – This is probably the easiest way to detect a gas leak in your home, as this smell is distinct and hard to mistake.

• Check your stove or range top – Gas stoves typically have blue flames – if there’s a natural gas leak, these flames may appear to be orange or red instead. (Additionally, shut off any appliances that can produce flame if you suspect a gas leak in order to prevent the gas from igniting and causing a house fire or explosion.)

• Listen for a whistling or hissing noise near your gas line – Pay attention to where you hear this hissing – if it’s near your air conditioning unit, it might be a leaking valve or an issue with the refrigerant line rather than a natural gas leak.

• Use a gas leak detector – There are various inexpensive handheld devices that can help you with gas leak detection available from places like Amazon as well as home improvement stores.

• Use the soapy water test – Mix 1 cup of water with 1 cup of liquid dish soap and put it into a spray bottle. After setting it to direct stream spray, spray the area where you think a leak is happening – if you see bubbles showing up, that can indicate a leak is happening.

Who to call in the case of a gas leak?

In the event of a natural gas leak, you can call the local fire department and/or your natural gas provider’s natural gas emergency line if one is available.

What should you NEVER do if you spot a gas leak

Before we go into what to do when there’s a gas leak, here’s what NOT to do:

• Don’t use matches or lighters – This is one of the largest dangers of a gas leak – any sparks or flames can ignite the natural gas and cause an explosion.
• Don’t search for the leak source – The longer you spend in your home, the more exposure to natural gas you’ll get – as we explained above, there are several negative health effects on humans from inhaling natural gas.
• Don’t use electronics in the house – Like matches and lighters, electronics are a potential source of ignition for natural gas. Electronics include things like your cell phone, light switches, or any electrical devices using batteries.
• Don’t try to repair the leak on your own – Leak repairs require a professional – plus, attempting to fix a natural gas leak on your own increases your exposure and possibility of negative health effects.
• Don’t stay indoors – Again with keeping your exposure to natural gas limited, you’ll want to head outside as soon as you suspect a leak or feel like you’re experiencing the associated negative health effects.
• Don’t keep windows and doors closed – When there’s a leak, you want to avoid having any natural gas accumulate.
• Don’t forget to report – Always contact professionals/your local fire department when you suspect a natural gas leak is occurring.

What to do in the event of a gas leak? How to fix a gas leak?

According to Energy.gov and Medical News Today, the first thing to do when you suspect a gas leak is to remove all people and pets from inside your home. After that’s done, leave the door open and contact your local fire department as well as your natural gas provider’s natural gas emergency line.

For your own safety, it’s not advisable to attempt to fix a gas leak on your own – a qualified technician should be dispatched to your home to repair the leak. Only when you’ve officially been notified by an authority or technician should you return to your home.

Finally, anyone that was in the affected home should visit a physician to check for persistent side effects or signs of long-term exposure from the natural gas leak.

Is natural gas safe in the home?

As long as you know what to do in a natural gas leak and know about taking proper precautions when using natural gas (e.g., keeping paper, paints, curtains, and other combustible materials away from furnaces, water heaters, gas ranges and other natural gas appliances), natural gas is safe to use in the home.

How to detox from natural gas poisoning?

Aside from removing yourself from the area where there’s a natural gas leakage, the best thing you can do is see a doctor for appropriate treatment for your natural gas poisoning symptoms.

Will a carbon monoxide detector detect a gas leak?

Carbon monoxide detectors will not detect a gas leak – natural gas and carbon monoxide are different types of gas. Natural gas detectors are available that either run on batteries or plug into an outlet.

As the old adage goes: it takes money to make money. So if you’ve got a side-gig or brilliant idea that you need help turning into a viable source of income, it’s imperative your business strategy should include sourcing liquidity to have on hand for your business’ long-term financial health. Even if you were a self-starter who found success in getting your enterprise off the ground, you could still benefit from an additional lumpsum to help you get to the next level and make your operations more efficient.

Why business funding matters

Despite getting excellent returns every quarter, you may still benefit from additional funds. Business funding is a way to quickly inject capital – perhaps, more cash than you may have on hand – so it can be reinvested in your growth and development strategies, stay afloat during any financial shocks or periods of low returns. If you haven’t started your business yet, it could even give you the seed money needed to get off the ground and established in the market and grant you access to other competent managers and executives who can help you navigate the arena and grow financially.

If you wait until financial strain develops or an emergency to beckon financiers and investors, they may not have the confidence in your outlook to invest in your flailing enterprise. That’s why getting funding for your business before a crisis is important, as it gives you a safety net to protect you from a financial downward spiral, and shows other financiers that the executives of a company are competent, proactive and therefore present a lower risk of failure in which to invest.

There are many different funding opportunities for businesses with different benefits, drawbacks and eligibility requirements that may or may not suit your goals and needs. Some may be in the form of loans that incur debt to be repaid, an initial investment in exchange for a share of the profits, grants that don’t require a payment back but have an agreed-upon outcome stipulated and so on. If you’re a novice entrepreneur and unsure of where to turn for capital, heading to your local bank and taking on a large and high-interest loan can not only start your business drowning in debt that devours profits in its infancy, may not only give you an uphill start but it might not have even been your only option. This is why navigating and understanding the complex financial industry is essential to your success.

Compare your business funding options

This is where a funding platform such as Swoop Canada comes in handy. They let you compare a wide array of sources of funding and savings for your business to help you manage your company’s finances. This includes, but is not limited to, start-up, business and government loans, grants, investors and even tax credits. Since their launch in 2018, they’ve helped thousands of businesses procure millions of Great-British Pounds in funding, and been acclaimed by media sources such as Forbes, the BBC and The Financial Times. They’ve since expanded their services from the UK to Ireland, Australia and, as of September 2021, Canada. To get started, simply register as a business or advisor and provide your annual turnover, the age of enterprise and how much funding you require.

You’ll gain access to an array of loans, grants and investors so you can sift through the options that are tailored to you before you apply, rather than individually pitching to potentially hundreds of investors, banks and benefactors and wasting time by finding out you were ineligible for their funds, to begin with.

For the entrepreneur doing it on their own, you can also find a knowledge hub with detailed articles explaining how to manage your assets, the difference between a variety of loans and credit lines, types of equity, tax credits and more.

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Types of funding Canadian businesses can source on Swoop

• Unsecured business loans.
• Secured business loans.
• Startup loans.
• Government funding.
• Revolving credit facilities.
• Merchant cash advances.
• Asset finance.
• Invoice finance.
• Equity.
• Business grants.
• Commercial mortgages.
• R&D tax credits

In addition to this, they have interviews with other entrepreneurs and positive case studies for inspiration. But the piece-de-resistance is the fact that you can find help managing your overhead costs by finding affordable plans for your quotidian operational expenses. Given that commercial purchases are larger and more expensive than personal ones, expenses can wrack up quickly and be detrimental to your business’ savings accounts. Having lean operations is crucial to the long-term health of your portfolio, as it ensures that you have money on hand for emergencies, for reinvesting in growth and is just practical management.

You can find different saving measures for different costs you routinely incur such as insurance, telecommunications and commercial utilities (that’s where we can help!)

Contact Swoop Funding Canada

• Phone number: 647 946 3001
• Email: canada@swoopfunding.com
• Website: swoopfunding.com/ca/
• Address: Camden St Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5V 1V1, Canada

How to find energy advisors to build an energy-efficient home in Canada

For some, building or moving into an energy-efficient home is an attractive option – you’d be starting off with energy-efficient appliances instead of having to piece-meal upgrade old appliances and electronics in your current home. Still though, having to curate every appliance and house upgrade yourself can get overwhelming. That’s why there are service providers such as energy auditors and advisors available to make the process much easier.

In Canada, independent energy advisors can be licensed under Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) official marks and software. This means these auditors meet all the qualifications required by NRCan to provide you with EnerGuide labelling services. They’re not NRCan employees or agents but are recognized by the government as energy advisors.

In case you’re looking for an energy advisor and don’t know where to start, you’re in the right place. Via NRCan’s tool called “Find a service provider for new homes”, you’ll be able to find a service organization or a builder participating in energy-efficiency initiatives in your area, so you can learn your options for building or buying a new energy-efficient home.

Below is a tutorial on how to use this tool and find licensed energy advisors for building a new home.

Note: in case you need an energy advisor for home improvements to an older house, there’s a resource list at the end of this article.

Step 1. Visit the tool website here

Step 2. Select the service(s) you require

EnerGuide is the official Government of Canada mark associated with the labelling and rating of the energy consumption or energy efficiency of specific products. An EnerGuide rating demonstrates the energy performance of a home, in GJ/year.

ENERGY STAR is a program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that promotes energy efficiency. Its goal is to help consumers, businesses, and industries save money and protect the environment through the adoption of energy-efficient products and practices.

R-2000 is a voluntary housing standard – R-2000 homes are designed and built to have high R-values and greater energy efficiency throughout your home. R-values refer to an insulating material’s resistance to conductive heat flow – in other words, a high R-value refers to greater insulating effectiveness.

Step 3. Select what service provider(s) you’re looking for

Step 4. Select the region you’re in or wanting to relocate to

Step 5. Check the list of licensed energy auditors

We didn’t add a screenshot of this step as different people will see different lists based on what they’ve checked before. However, this filtered list is quite straightforward and will show the information about each service provider, including address, phone number, official website, email address, and the labels they are licensed under, such as R-2000, EnerGuide, and ENERGY STAR.

What is an energy advisor?

An energy advisor refers to a third-party consultant who is registered via a service organization licensed by Natural Resources Canada. Licensed energy advisors can provide the following services (note that they may only work on Part 9 residential buildings):

• Delivery of Natural Resource Canada’s EnerGuide Rating System, ENERGY STAR® for New Homes and R-2000 programs.
• Provide both energy modelling and airtightness testing, the two services needed to demonstrate compliance under the BC Energy Step Code for Part 9 residential buildings.

Why do I need a licensed energy advisor? What will an energy advisor do?

While you don’t technically need an energy consultant, they can make things a lot easier, whether it’s assisting builders with planning out energy efficiency measures or upgrading a current home.

The designation of energy advisor (EA) registered with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) means that a person has met and maintained all of the required qualifications to deliver EnerGuide rating services for eligible homes in Canada.

According to NRCan, certified energy advisors demonstrate experience and knowledge in areas such as:

• EnerGuide Rating System.
• Residential construction practices for low-rise housing.
• Energy efficiency renovation practices.
• Building science.
• Basic arithmetic, geometry and computers skills.
• Data collection requirements.
• Energy simulation modeling using HOT2000, and
• Good client relations.
• Available grants for improving energy efficiency for housing.

Below are some common things an energy advisor can do for you:

• Bring third-party verification and inspection to a project via use of the Ener-Guide rating system.
• Home energy audits.
• Test homes at completion while also creating a final report and providing documentation for the EnerGuide Label.
• Provide further details of labelling programs that may best fit a project.
• Provide home evaluations based on plans prior to construction.
• Offer suggestions for improving energy usage of a home, with or without mechanical systems.
• Provide details for which materials are best to use in order to maximize air quality and energy efficiency.
• Use tools and perform testing for ensuring that a building envelope is performing at its best.

What are the energy advisor databases available in Canada?

Below is a list of the energy advisor databases available in Canada – you can use these databases to find energy advisors near you:

• Better Homes BC Search Tool: Using this tool, you can search for Part 9 residential energy home advisors or energy modellers. You can also search by location or project type: new home or renovation.
• Canadian Association of Consulting Energy Advisors (CACEA)
• NRCan’s “Find a service organization for existing homes” tool: Looking for improvements for an older home? This other NRCan tool is similar to the one detailed in the tutorial above. However, it focuses on a list of energy advisors offering EnerGuide evaluations for home improvements, instead of builders and new homes only.

How much does it cost to charge an EV?

Unfortunately, finding out the cost to charge an electric car isn’t as straightforward as calculating the cost of a regular vehicle, where all you have to do is look at gas prices and the amount you’ve driven. There are a number of factors to take into consideration when estimating the cost of charging your electric vehicle – we’ll go over them below:

• Manufacturer stated fuel economy – Most electric vehicles can cover up to 100 kilometres within 15 kWh according to Energuide, but you’ll need to check with your manufacturer for a more exact value. This value also depends on the type of driving you’re doing (highway or city) – with city driving, you’d be needing to charge your car more often than someone who predominantly drives outside the city.

• Electricity costs –This will depend on whether you’re charging at home or if you’re predominantly charging your car up at charging stations. Public electric car charging stations will often charge by the hour and pricing can vary from location to location. Meanwhile, charging at home can be more cost friendly and straightforward. Regardless, to help you calculate an estimate of how you spend charging your vehicle, note the number of kilometers driven before you need to recharge as well as the amount you pay at charging stations or the cents/kWh rate you pay for electricity at home over a few months.

• Time of Use Rates – Depending on which province you live in, time of use rates may exist – choosing to charge your EV during off-peak or mid-peak hours would be largely different than charging during peak hours, in which electricity prices are higher.

• Charger costs – Indirect costs are also something to consider when thinking about the costs of charging EVs – a standard charger versus a level 2 charger will have significant differences. While a level 2 charger will charge up your vehicle faster, it can cost around $,2000 USD (about 2,500 CAD) for its parts and installation into your home, according to Kelley Blue Book.

How can an EV impact my electricity bill? Do time-of-use rates affect your EV charging costs?

This really depends on a few things. Like we mentioned earlier, charging your vehicle overnight or during off-peak hours can prevent your monthly electricity bill from skyrocketing.

Let’s take a look at the time of use pricing for Ontario on September 6, 2021, as an example – 8.2 cents per kWh was the price for off-peak use, 11.3 cents per kWh was the price for mid-peak use and 17.0 cents per kWh was the price for on-peak use. You could save more than half your charging costs if you chose to only charge during off-peak hours, in this case.

For individuals who don’t plan to charge at home, electricity bill impacts will be fewer to none – however, it can potentially cost more to charge in public stations than it does at home since many charge by time rather than the amount used.

Electric vehicles vs gas-powered cars: Which type is cheaper?

It may be surprising, but in terms of fuel consumption, electric vehicles come out on top. The table below shows a comparison by BCHydro in various BC cities of electricity vehicle energy consumption costs vs gas consumption costs for comparable vehicles (2020 Nissan Leaf S Plus vs 2020 Chevy Spark 1LT):

City	Electricity Costs Per Year (2020 Nissan Leaf S Plus)	Fuel Costs Per Year (2020 Chevy Spark 1LT)
Richmond	$156.00	$721.05
Surrey	$343.30	$1586.30
Coquitlam	$322.40	$1409.17
Abbotsford	$780.00	$3605.24

As you can see, in this specific scenario, the costs of charging an electric vehicle were considerably lower than gasoline costs.

Additionally, a Forbes article also found that EV costs were generally cheaper. In the USA, operating an electric vehicle cost around $485 a year whereas the average amount for a regular gas-powered vehicle was $1117.

Furthermore, since electric vehicles have fewer moving parts, no exhaust system and fewer parts that need to be changed (e.g. no timing belts or fan belts), maintenance costs may also potentially be lower.

Overall, the costs of owning an electric car can potentially be lower than owning a regular gasoline car.

How is an electric vehicle’s fuel efficiency calculated?

Rather than using litres per 100 km (Canada) or miles per gallon (USA), L_e/100 km (litres per 100 km equivalent) and MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent).

There are approximately 33.7 kWh per gallon of fuel according to the EPA and 8.9 kWh per litre according to NRCAN.

Are there any incentives for electric vehicle owners in Canada?

Below, we’ve sorted the incentives for electric vehicle owners in Canada by province:

• British Columbia – The CleanBC Go Electric light-duty vehicle rebate program offers up to:

-$3,000 for the purchase or lease of a new battery-electric vehicle, hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, or longer-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

– $1,500 for the purchase or lease of a shorter-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Electric car rebates are available to BC residents, businesses, non-profit organizations and local government organizations – however, zero emission vehicles with a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) above $55,000 are not eligible for rebates.

• Ontario – Plug n’ Drive offers two incentives:

– Up to $1000 is provided towards the purchase of a used fully electric car by Used EV incentive program.

– Up to $1000 is offered towards the purchase of a used fully electric or plug-in hybrid electric car when you scrap your old gas-powered car via the Scrappage Incentive Program.

• Québec – The Québec government is offering individuals, businesses, organizations, and Québec municipalities a rebate of up to $8,000 on the purchase or lease of a new electric vehicle. A table summarizing current available rebates in Québec is below:

Vehicle Type	Other Conditions	Rebate Amount
All-electric vehicles	If the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is less than $60,000	$8,000
Plug-in hybrid vehicles	If the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is less than $60,000 The amount of the rebate is calculated based on the capacity of the battery.	$500, $4,000 or $8,000
Hydrogen-powered vehicles	If the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is less than $60,000 *Note: There are currently no eligible vehicles in this category.	$8,000
Electric motorcycles		$2,000
Limited-speed electric motorcycles (electric scooters)		$500

• Newfoundland and Labrador – Drivers can receive incentives from $2,500 for shorter range plug-in hybrids to $5,000 for all-electric and longer-range plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

• New Brunswick – The government of New Brunswick has the following incentives available for assisting New Brunswickers who purchase or lease a new or used electric vehicle at a licensed automobile dealership:

– New Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV): $5,000

– New long range Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV): $5,000

– New PHEV: $2,500

– Used BEV: $2,500

– Used PHEV: $1,000

– Electric Vehicle Home Charging Stations: $750

• Prince Edward Island – The government of Prince Edward Island offers $5,000 to Islanders who purchase a new or used EV. Government will also offer $2,500 to those who buy a plug-in hybrid from April 1, 2021, onwards. Additionally, Islanders who utilize the PEI Universal EV Incentive (both BEV and PHEV) will receive a free Level 2 charger.

How does the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program work?

In addition to provincial incentives, there are also federal EV incentives – the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program offers up to $5000 for purchasing or leasing new zero-emissions vehicles.

You can find a list of eligible vehicles here as well as the incentives for varying lease times.

Incentives from the iZEV program will be applied at the point of sale by the dealership. It will appear directly on the bill of sale or lease agreement on eligible ZEVs on, or after, the eligibility date. The dealer must apply taxes and fees to the purchase or lease before applying the incentive.

The dealer must submit the documentation required to be reimbursed for an incentive provided to consumers at the point of sale.

What are the most fuel-efficient electric cars in Canada?

Below is a table of the most fuel-efficient electric cars in Canada for 2021, as presented by NRCAN:

Vehicle Class	Electric Vehicle
Minicompact	Polestar_1 170 kW electric motor, 2.0 L, 4 cylinder plug-in hybrid, 8-speed automatic with select shift
Subcompact	BMW i3 (120 Ah) 125 kW electric motor, 1-speed automatic BMW i3s (120 Ah) 135 kW electric motor, 1-speed automatic
Compact	Porsche Taycan 4S (Performance Battery) 320 kW electric motor, 2-speed automatic
Mid-size	Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus 211 kW electric motor, 1-speed automatic
Full-size	Tesla Model S Long Range 494 kW electric motor, 1-speed automatic
Small station wagon	Chevrolet Bolt EV 150 kW electric motor, 1-speed automatic Kia Soul EV (120 Ah) 150 kW electric motor, 1-speed automatic
Sport utility vehicle: Small	Tesla Model Y Standard Range 211 kW electric motor, 1-speed automatic
Sport utility vehicle: Standard	Tesla Model X Long Range Plus 398 kW electric motor, 1-speed automatic
Minivan	Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid 89 kW electric motor, 3.6 L, 6 cylinder plug-in hybrid, continuously variable

Is charging electric cars free? Where to find electric car charging stations across Canada?

Depending on your location, you may be able to find free public charging stations – sites like ChargeHub or PlugShare can help you locate such stations. Note, however, that paying to charge an electric car at public charging stations is fairly common.

Is charging an EV at home safe?

It’s safe to charge an electric car at home – however, just like regular electronics, there are some precautions you should consider:

• Only use charging adaptors provided by your vehicle’s manufacturer or by an electric vehicle supply equipment manufacturer.
• Don’t use modified or damaged charging equipment.
• Don’t use any faulty charging equipment.
• Don’t use household adaptors like a multi-box, double plug or a travel plug between electric vehicle supply equipment and a socket outlet.

How environmentally friendly are electric vehicles?

While electric vehicles generally don’t have tailpipe emissions, they can still indirectly contribute to emissions and pollution depending on how the electricity used to power electric vehicles is generated. Electricity grid power that was generated by fossil fuels going to fuel electric vehicles is only marginally better than gasoline fuelled vehicles emitting exhaust into the air.

Without investment towards cleaner energy sources, there’s a limit to how much electric vehicles can benefit the environment.

Additionally, as stated by a CBC article, electric vehicle batteries require lithium mining, which is connected to environmental harm such as water supply contamination as well as emissions from processing.

Corporate Knights Inc. released a report where a modelling study found that all new cars and SUVs sold by 2030 were 100% electric, greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 33 million tonnes per year. Additionally, if 75-80% of all new trucks were electrified by 2030, GHG emissions could be reduced by 30 Mt per year.

How long do electric car batteries last?

That depends on a range of things such as the manufacturer, exposure to extreme temperature and charging habits. On average, your electric vehicle’s car battery loses 1-2% function per year – generally, most individuals will change vehicles long before their electric vehicle battery becomes unusable.

As a general estimate, you can expect an electric vehicle battery to last between 10-20 years before needing replacement.

Below are a few things to keep in mind in order to extend your electric vehicle’s battery life:

• Avoid prolonged usage in extreme weather conditions.
• Keep your battery charged between 60-80% – depleting your battery to 0% frequently will cause your battery to degrade faster.
• Fast charging your vehicle frequently will also cause your battery to degrade faster.

Is fast-charging an electric vehicle costlier?

Public charging stations will charge more for use of DC fast chargers since the equipment is expensive – according to a study from the International Council on Clean Transportation, DC Fast Chargers (DCFC) cost approximately $28,000 to $140,000 to install (per station).

How long does it take to charge an electric car at a charging station?

According to Kia, charging an electric car battery can take anywhere between half an hour or half a day, depending on your battery and the speed of the charging point you’re using.

Other things that will affect charging speed are the max charging rate of your vehicle, how much power is left in your battery, as well as weather conditions (charging in low temperatures takes longer than charging at moderate temperatures.)

What are the most common electric vehicle myths?

Below are several of the most common electric vehicle myths according to the EPA and BBC:

Electric vehicles are worse for the climate than gasoline cars because of the power plant emissions.

• Even accounting for emissions that are released when electricity is generated for electric vehicle use, research shows that an EV is typically responsible for lower levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) than an average new gasoline car.

Electric vehicles don’t have enough range to handle daily travel demands.

• Electric vehicles are more than sufficient to handle daily household travel, which equates to about 50 miles (~80 km) for a typical USA household. Many electric vehicle models can travel 200 miles (~321 km) on a fully charged battery.

Electric vehicles only come as sedans.

• Electric vehicles come in a variety of shapes and sizes – if you review our section about what electric vehicles are the most fuel-efficient for 2021, you’ll see that electric vehicles range from compact cars to minivans.

There is nowhere to charge.

• In the States, there are over 38,000 charging stations available. According to Plug n’ Drive, there are currently over 5,000 charging stations in Canada.

Electric vehicles are worse for the climate than gasoline cars because of battery manufacturing.

The greenhouse gas emissions associated with an electric vehicle over its lifetime are typically lower than those from an average gasoline-powered vehicle, even when accounting for manufacturing.

You can compare the overall greenhouse gas emissions between a gas vs electric vehicle in the graph by the U.S Department of Energy:

Source: https://greet.es.anl.gov/ (2019)

Electric vehicles aren’t safe because the battery can be an additional hazard in the event of an accident.

• The same risks exist for all drivers, regardless of how the vehicle is powered. Precautions, such as collision detectors, cooling systems and protective coverings are available in electric vehicles.

How to reduce electric car charging costs?

Below are a few tips you can try for reducing electric car charging costs:

• If you primarily charge your car at home and you’re in an area affected by time-of-use rates, try to do most of your charging during off-peak hours.
• Use tools like EnergyRates.ca to find the lowest electricity rates in your area.
•  For individuals who need to charge at public charging stations, research and compare the price of charging at various stations. Additionally, charging electric cars for free is a possibility at some stations.
• Avoid charging your car in cold temperatures as low temperatures will slow down the rate your EV charges at.

As we’ve mentioned above, one way to maximize your electric car savings is through using cost comparison tools like EnergyRates.ca – you can find the lowest electricity rates in provinces where electricity is deregulated (Alberta and Ontario). Plus, our experts can also help you find green energy rates and plans to help you further limit your carbon footprint.

Learn more: What is Electrification, and How Does it Affect Energy Markets?