Government of Canada
2004/36
September 16, 2004

Enbridge Gas New Brunswick And Government Of Canada Offer New Incentive To Switch To Gas

FREDERICTON, N.B. - With Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Enbridge Gas New Brunswick offering a new incentive, there is no better time to upgrade your heating systems to clean-burning natural gas. The two partners today announced that they will give $300 to customers who install high-efficiency variable-speed fan motors on their furnaces. The offer is in addition to a $600 incentive for customers who upgrade their home or small business heating systems between April 1, 2004, and December 30, 2005.

NRCan and Enbridge Gas New Brunswick are each contributing half of the $600 rebate, which is available to customers who replace existing heating systems with Energy Star ® -qualified, high-efficiency natural gas furnaces or boilers, or who buy new homes that have these systems. The partners are also sharing the cost of the $300 incentive for high-efficiency fan motors. In addition, Enbridge Gas New Brunswick is providing extra incentives for the installation of both central heating and hot water natural gas systems, bringing the total incentives available up to $1,700 for residential customers.

"Improving energy efficiency is a key way to meet our environmental and economic objectives," said the Honourable Andy Scott, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Minister Scott is also Member of Parliament for Fredericton and made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable R. John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. "That's why the Government of Canada is taking the concrete, practical action of contributing to this new financial incentive. It will help us meet our climate change objectives and the One-Tonne Challenge goal of reducing Canadians' individual greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent."

"The environmental benefits of using natural gas are numerous," said Rock Marois, General Manager, Enbridge Gas New Brunswick. "Not only is there a decrease in the amount of pollutants released to the air when customers switch to natural gas, but natural gas provides a substantial decrease in the risk of contamination to both surface water and groundwater."

Home heating systems upgraded to use natural gas instead of other fossil fuels or electricity generated by fossil fuels emit fewer pollutants into the atmosphere than conventional heating systems. By encouraging cleaner, climate-friendly technologies, the Government of Canada is helping Canadians find ways to meet their individual objectives, while ensuring its long-term goals of building a sustainable economy for the 21^st century, a healthier environment and strong communities.

ENERGY STAR is an international symbol of energy efficiency. In Canada, the program is administered and promoted by NRCan's Office of Energy Efficiency, a leader in helping Canadians save energy costs while addressing the challenges of climate change. Learn about the Government of Canada's One-Tonne Challenge at www.climatechange.gc.ca.

The incentives offered under the program are available only through Enbridge Gas New Brunswick and its authorized dealers. For more information, please call Enbridge Gas New Brunswick at 1-866-3-Get-Gas (1-866-343-8427).

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