NEWS RELEASE
2009EMPR0010-000320
March 10, 2009
 
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
 
NEW TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IN B.C.'S GREEN ECONOMY
 
VICTORIA - The $370,000 Energy Efficiency Employment Development Initiative will create new sustainable employment opportunities for British Columbians in the province's green economy, announced Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Funding for the partnerships is provided by the Government of Canada through the Canada-B.C. Labour Market Agreement.
 
"Through the Energy Efficiency Employment Development initiative, we are investing in employment opportunities for British Columbians and helping to reduce the carbon footprint of B.C. homes and small businesses," said Lekstrom. "By providing British Columbians with necessary job skills, this program will help us to meet the growing demand for energy assessments in this province."
 
"This new initiative will go a long way to help British Columbians get the skills they need to fully participate in the workforce," said Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. "Through our Labour Market Agreement with B.C., and new projects like the Energy Efficiency Employment Development Initiative, we are delivering on our commitment to help British Columbians attain the skills they need to find and keep good jobs."
 
This money will be used to fund two energy efficiency training programs, the Residential Energy Efficiency Employment Development (REEED) program and the Industrial/ Commercial/ Institutional Energy Efficiency Employment Development (ICI EEED) program. These programs will provide training and employment opportunities for 50 unemployed or underemployed people. In the programs, participants will be trained to conduct energy assessments on small industrial, commercial, institutional or residential buildings and make recommendations on energy efficiency through lighting, heating and other building systems upgrades.
 
Vancouver Island University (VIU), in partnership with City Green Solutions, has been awarded almost $250,000 to develop and offer the REEED program. This new eight-week training program will be offered from April to June 2009 at the Nanaimo campus of VIU. It will prepare 25 individuals to achieve their certification as residential energy advisors.
 
"The interest from people wanting to take this training shows the need and interest of all British Columbians to be a part of and to contribute to a future where energy efficiency and knowledge are paramount," said Dennis Silvestrone, dean of adult and continuing education at VIU.
 
There are currently over 100 residential energy evaluators in the
province certified by Natural Resources Canada for the LiveSmart BC: Efficiency Incentive Program and the federal ecoENERGY Retrofit - homes program. It is estimated that additional residential evaluators will be needed to meet the future demand for energy efficiency upgrades for homes in British Columbia. Since the launch of the Efficiency Incentive
Program, over 18,000 people have had their homes assessed and the REEED program will help to meet the growing demand by preparing trained professionals to enter the residential energy assessment sector.
 
Sustainable Community Enterprises, in partnership with ASPECT and the Environmental Youth Alliance has been awarded $120,000 to coordinate and offer the ICI EEED program. The program was offered at BCIT in January to train 25 participants and work placements are underway.
 
"The EEED program assisted 25 skilled people to transition into the energy conservation field, and exposed them to prospective employment and education opportunities. The creation of government and utility provider energy-efficiency incentives that benefit businesses in the small scale ICI sector are expected to increase the employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for energy auditors," said Nicholas Lamm, green workplace manager at Sustainable Community Enterprises.
 
The Energy Efficiency Employment Development Initiative supports the Energy Efficient Buildings Strategy: More Action, Less Energy, released on May 22, 2008. The strategy aims to transform the market to achieve energy efficiency targets for existing and new buildings in British Columbia, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. British Columbians will benefit from net energy savings of approximately $3.4 billion over and above capital costs by 2020.
 
Provincial energy efficiency programs help British Columbians lower their energy costs, while creating new, skilled jobs and increasing B.C.'s economic competitiveness. By participating in the LiveSmart BC: Efficiency Incentive Program, British Columbians have on average, reduced their home energy use by 31 per cent and their greenhouse gas emissions by 2.59 tonnes per year. Find out more about saving money through energy efficiency at www.livesmartbc.ca.
 
The B.C. government, working with academic, industry and other partners is enabling British Columbians to gain the skills needed to successfully participate in the provincial labour market, and respond positively to changing workplace demands.
 
Under the Labour Market Agreement, each year for the next six years, the Government of Canada will provide approximately $66 million to the Province. Through a variety of programs, these funds will increase training for employed individuals who are low-skilled and require essential skills, or who require recognized credentials to reach their full potential in the current marketplace.

They will also help increase access to training for unemployed individuals who are not currently Employment Insurance (EI) clients including but not limited to those who are underrepresented in the labour market.
 
For more information on the LMA, visit www.WorkBC.ca.
 
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Media contact:
 
Jake Jacobs
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
250 952-0628
250 213-6934
 
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province's news feeds using RSS, visit the Province's website at www.gov.bc.ca.