Nova Scotia Introduces Climate Action Plan

In 2021 the Government of Nova Scotia passed the Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act. The legislation included 28 goals that address the climate emergency by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, growing the green and circular economies, improving the health and sustainability of Nova Scotia’s environment, and moving to clean, renewable energy. One of these goals is to create a climate change plan that guides this work. 

Last week the government released its Climate Action Plan. The plan commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 53 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and to net-zero by 2050. 

The plan includes a number of measures that will have an impact on the HVACR sector in the region.  Some of these include: 

  • Reduce heating oil use by at least 20 per cent by 2030 by retrofitting 60,000 homes and piloting a new off-oil program for homeowners to completely replace oil heating equipment with electric ones. 

  • Providing energy efficiency upgrades to more low-income households by expanding on programs such as HomeWarming and the Affordable Multifamily Housing program. 

  • Banning installations of oil-fired heating equipment in new buildings by 2025. 

  • Adopting the 2020 National Energy Code for Buildings and the 2020 National Building Code. 

  • Supporting the construction and renovation of net-zero homes and multi-unit residential buildings, including net-zero affordable housing. 

  • Helping owners of commercial and institutional buildings better understand their energy performance and plan for energy efficiency upgrades through voluntary energy-use monitoring. 

  • Requiring all new government buildings and major retrofits that enter planning after 2022 be net-zero energy ready and climate resilient, and prioritize leases on buildings that are committed to net-zero energy standards and climate resiliency starting in 2030. 

  • Launching the Green Choice Program in 2023, which will allow government to purchase 100 per cent renewable electricity for our operations as it becomes available. 

HRAI will be engaging with the Government of Nova Scotia in the months ahead to clarify the implications of the plan and to help inform how it should be rolled out to the benefit of Nova Scotians and the HVACR industry that serves them. 

For more information, contact John Sutherland at jsutherland@pathfinder-group.com or Martin Luymes at mluymes@hrai.ca. 

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