Prince George Receives Wood Stove Exchange Program Dollars
Prince George, B.C. – The provincial government is ramping up efforts to help improve air quality in the province, including in Prince George.
Today Victoria announced that Prince George is among 14 communities/regional districts to receive funding via the Wood Stove Exchange Program.
The government is providing $190,000 province-wide. The Prince George Air Improvement Roundtable will receive $13,900.
The money comes as many British Columbians are firing up their old wood stoves as the cold, winter nights continue through the winter.
“Unfortunately, this leads to increased air pollution and air quality advisories as the smoke may be trapped near the ground in this type of weather,” reads a news release from the Ministry of Environment. “This results in certain areas of the province seeing more air quality advisories in colder months.”
Prince George, Vanderhoof, Valemount and Houston were all under air quality advisories earlier this month (see previous story here).
The program provides a $250 rebate when a new wood-burning, pellet or natural gas stove is bought to replace an older model.
The ministry says the newer units burn one-third less wood and reduce smoke and particulates entering the atmosphere by 70 per cent or more.
Last year nearly 600 stoves were exchanged throughout the province.
Comments
Why only $190,000 for the province and then only $13,900 for Prince George? Victoria recognizes 14 communities that have a problem so they should much more aggressively try to reduce this problem. Meanwhile, the city should ban all wood-burning appliances which are not high-efficiency. It is ludicrous that a few are “allowed” to ruin the air quality for so many.
And the tax payers get tossed another crumb.. but now crusty will say how much her gov is doing to help the environment.. we have husky and 3 pulp mills in our air shed and they are worried about some wood burning stoves.. as per usual leave big business alone and go after the little guy… families first..
That sure is going to put a dent in the banked carbon tax money. This government is so generous.
Do we really have 55 households in PG upgrading their wood stoves? People have to whine about everything. Some of the rebates will probably go unused – even with the rebates covering 760 new stoves in 14 communities throughout BC.
Wood stove rebates are nothing new, have been going on for years in BC. We never received a rebate because ours was a new install, yep I am smoking out PG for the two weeks a year I have to fire it up in the last 11 years. With the new rules on its use from the insurance company it hasn’t burnt a stick this year yet, maybe later this month I will puke out some black smoke like a diesel climbing Peden Hill.
Comments for this article are closed.