One way that the Government of Canada can address harmful greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and air pollutants is through its regulatory powers. When the Government tabled amendments to the Energy Efficiency Act in Parliament on October 19, 2006, as part of the Clean Air Act, it took concrete action to raise the bar on the energy-efficiency standards for a range of consumer products and equipment.
Regulations under the Energy Efficiency Act, in effect since 1995, set minimum energy-performance levels for a number of energy-using products such as appliances, lighting, and heating and air-conditioning products. Broadening and strengthening the Act means that 80 percent of the energy used in homes and businesses will soon be regulated. Over time, the set of planned new regulations will address about 20 currently unregulated products such as commercial clothes washers and boilers, and will tighten requirements for 10 products such as residential dishwashers and dehumidifiers. Stricter regulations mean that, over time, inefficient products will disappear from the market, leaving only the best-performing items to compete for that spot on our already crowded power bars.
It is estimated that the amendments will have an impact equivalent to eliminating the energy use of all households for one year in a city the size of Barrie, Ontario, or Abbotsford, BC, both with an approximate population of 131,000.
Amendments also improve labelling so consumers have the latest information on the most energy-efficient products on the market. This way, Canadians can tap into huge potential savings in terms of energy and money, and they'll benefit from the improved air quality that results when emissions are reduced.
Surveys show that Canadians have embraced the concept of product energy efficiency to make smart decisions about the items they buy with energy conservation in mind. In the past five years, the ENERGY STAR® label — the international rating that identifies the most efficient products in their class — is now recognized by 60 percent of Canadians who look to this brand to identify products that use less energy and save money.
The Energy Efficiency Act amendments will either set a minimum energy performance standard for a series of new products or will make existing standards more stringent for others. The amendments will come into force between 2007 and 2010.
New products to be regulated:
Products that will be subject to more stringent standards are the following:
To complement this regulatory package, the Government of Canada has announced a suite of ecoENERGY Initiatives designed to help boost clean energy supplies, help Canadians use energy more efficiently and develop clean energy technologies. One component, the ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative, invests approximately $300 million in targeted programs that promote smarter energy use across all sectors of society. The Initiative will directly help Canadians make wise energy choices that save energy, money and our environment. It also fills the gaps where the Government can not regulate and encourages energy-efficiency action by Canadians, businesses and industries.
For more information and energy-saving tips and the Government of Canada's ecoENERGY Initiatives, visit www.nrcan.gc.ca.