The dangers of extreme heat to seniors were brought home in dramatic fashion by the 2021 heat dome event in British Columbia.
More than 600 people died during the last week of June and into early July that year 鈥� many of them seniors, often those living without adequate air conditioning and ventilation.
One partial response by governments has merged with the push to get more energy-efficient heating and cooling systems into B.C. homes. The government's subsidies for electric heat pumps for low- and moderate-income households is putting a system that both heats and cools homes within financial reach.
黑马磁力's Gandy Installations, which installs heating and cooling systems, has seen a lot of interest from seniors in initiatives such as the CleanBC Energy Savings Program, which launched last summer.
"The rebates have been the biggest catalyst," said Greg Bloom, Gandy's sales manager.
Funded by the provincial government, with some federal money and contributions from BC Hydro, it supports installing heat pumps into single-family homes. Starting this year, it will also expand to include individual suites in multi-unit residential buildings.
A heat pump can both heat and cool a home, and the government programs are often aimed at replacing gas-powered furnaces, especially those that are older and less efficient.
That means many people are getting air conditioning who didn't have it before.
"You're replacing something that didn't give you cooling," said Gandy.
Bloom said that depending on household income, people can get a rebate of up to $16,000 to fully replace a gas-powered furnace with an all-electric heat pump system. Depending on the level of rebate people are eligible for, and the scope of work, some rebates cover most or all of the cost of a new system.
There are also duel-fuel rebates, where the homeowner keeps an efficient furnace but gains a heat pump, with the furnace only used to top up the efforts of the heat pump system on really cold days.
Some homes concentrate heat during a hot spell, in the absence of air conditioning or a heat pump system.
Gandy mentioned a senior he knew in Abbotsford, a home where the company did an installation as part of its Feel the Love charity program, who lived through a major heatwave.
"Her candles on her kitchen table were melting," he said. The thermometer on the home's thermostat maxed out at 99 degrees.
According to a recent provincial announcement, $100 million is being provided over the next two year, with the aim of delivering as many as 8,300 new heat pump rebates across B.C.
Residents in multi-family buildings could be eligible for up to $5,500 towards the purchase of a ductless mini-split heat pump.
鈥淓very British Columbian deserves reliable, affordable, and clean heating and cooling. Since our government started providing incentives for people to make the switch to heat pumps, we鈥檝e seen a huge uptake across the province, but cost is still a barrier for many,鈥� said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions.
As of 2022, heat pump sales have begun to exceed furnace sales in B.C., and the number of homes with a heat pump rose from five per cent in 2008 to 13 per cent today.
