By Canadian Press

'Energy Efficient Alberta' no more

Alberta officially ends agency created to launch green rebates and programs

Jun 11, 2020 | 3:29 PM

EDMONTON – Alberta is officially turning out the lights on Energy Efficiency Alberta (EEA), an agency created by the former NDP government to promote green initiatives and home rebates.

Grant Hunter, associate minister in charge of red tape, says what remains of the agency’s mandate can be done by other panels or by other departments.

Energy Efficiency Alberta was launched in 2017 to promote renewable energy while funding programs and incentives on everything from solar panels to energy-efficient appliances, windows, and insulation.

The provincial government ended the rebates last fall, with Premier Jason Kenney saying public money should not be used to distribute “shower heads and light bulbs.”

The agency, however, has said it was an economic driver, delivering $850 million in spin-off growth.

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The change is part of a bill to further reduce red tape, and Hunter says they’ve now reduced about five per cent of more than 700,000 statutes and regulations.

“Our government has always maintained that we must leverage our industry partners and small- and medium-sized businesses in order to tackle emissions,” says Jason Nixon, Minister of Environment and Parks. “We have also committed to streamlining government delivery of services and cutting red tape. By rolling EEA into ERA, we are accomplishing all of the above. We thank the board and staff of EEA for their service, and we look forward to continuing important emissions-reduction work under ERA as we move to a stronger, more diversified economy and put Albertans back to work.”