Review of Fall 2020 Provincial Elections (BC, SK, NB)

Review of Fall 2020 Provincial Elections (BC, SK, NB)

by | Nov 17, 2020 | HPBAC Blog, Member News

The fall of 2020 saw voters in three Canadian provinces head to the polls as part of provincial general elections. This article looks at the election results in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick, and policy implications those results may have.

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British Columbia

Election Date: October 24th, 2020

Governing Party Prior To The Election:  B.C. New Democratic Party (Minority)

Governing Party Following The Election:  B.C. New Democratic Party (Majority)

New Seat Breakdown:

Government: British Columbia New Democratic Party (57)
Opposition: British Columbia Liberal Party (28)
Third party: British Columbia Green Party (2)

Having governed for three-and-a-half years as part of a coalition government with the B.C. Green Party, Premier John Horgan drew criticism for his decisions to call a snap election on September 21st. Thankfully for he and his party however, the voters of B.C. did not hold the election call against the party, returning the B.C. NDP back to the legislature, this time with a strong majority mandate. This is the second government in as many months to head to the polls early and convert a minority mandate into a majority one, just as New Brunswick Premier Plaine Higgs did in September.

The years ahead will see the B.C. NDP Government pursue the commitments made in their 2020 Campaign Platform “Working For You”. Elements of the platform that may be of interest to industry members include:

  • Commit BC to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050: CleanBC currently sets a target of reducing emissions by 40 percent by 2030. To complete the task, we will pass legislation requiring BC to reach net-zero by 2050 – meaning there are either no harmful carbon emissions or they are offset by natural carbon sinks, carbon capture or other technologies.
  • Require greener buildings: We are already requiring new buildings and retrofits to be more energy efficient and cleaner – every new building constructed in BC must be net-zero ready by 2032. We will take the next step by empowering local governments to set their own carbon pollution performance standards for new buildings. And we will require realtors to provide energy efficiency information on listed homes to incent energy-saving upgrades and let purchasers know what energy bills they will face.
  • Accelerate energy efficiency retrofits beginning now: We will spur more energy-efficiency upgrades with programs and incentives for both residential and commercial buildings – including PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing that allows homeowners to take out loans for efficiency upgrades and pay them back over time through annual property taxes.

Want to know more about your local Member of the Legislative Assembly? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT.

Saskatchewan

Election Date: October 26th, 2020

Governing Party Prior To The Election:  Saskatchewan Party (Majority)

Governing Party Following The Election:  Saskatchewan Party (Majority)

New Seat Breakdown:

Government: Saskatchewan Party (48)
Official Opposition: New Democratic Party (13)

Of the three provincial elections held this fall, Saskatchewan’s was the only one which was the result of a fixed election date. The election resulted in very little change in the make-up of the legislature, with Saskatchewan Party Leader and Premier Scott Moe returning with a strong majority mandate.

The party campaigned on their platform “Our Plan For A Strong Saskatchewan,” which includes the following items of interest to industry”

  • Reducing Taxes on Small Businesses: A re-elected Saskatchewan Party government will introduce a three-year reduction to the small business tax rate, as part of the Saskatchewan Party’ plan to support Saskatchewan’s economic recovery from COVID-19. This will help support Saskatchewan small businesses sustain operations, retain and hire new employees, and grow their businesses.
  • The Saskatchewan Party government unveiled “Prairie Resilience,” our made in Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy, which will reduce emissions in a meaningful way. These commitments will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 12 million tonnes by 2030.
  • A re-elected Saskatchewan Party government will introduce a new Saskatchewan Home Renovation Tax Credit to make the cost of home renovations more affordable. The Saskatchewan Home Renovation Tax Credit will allow Saskatchewan homeowners to claim a non-refundable 10.5% provincial tax credit on eligible
    home renovation expenses undertaken on their primary residence between October 1st 2020 and December 31st, 2022.

Want to know more about you local Member of the Legislative Assembly? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT.

New Brunswick

Election Date: September 14th, 2020

Governing Party Prior To The Election:  Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick (Minority)

Governing Party Following The Election:  Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick (Majority)

New Seat Breakdown:

Government: Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick (27)
Opposition: New Brunswick Liberal Party (17)
Third Party: Green Party of New Brunswick (3)
Fourth Party: People’s Alliance of New Brunswick (2)

As with British Columbia, the snap election call worked out favourably for Premier Blaine Higgs and the Progressive Conservative party, Mr. Higgs. the first Premier since 2003 to win a second term. The conservatives hold a modest majority in the Legislature with 27 seats.

“Up To The Job: Recover, Reinvent, Renew,” saw the party make the following commitments of note:

  • Helping businesses compete in a digital economy will be absolutely key to the province’s long-term success when international trade missions are no longer occurring and travel is restricted. Under our leadership, Opportunities New Brunswick will be working with our businesses across the province to support their transition to a digital economy so sales and exports can continue. They will support businesses in learning how to sell online, use enhanced marketing and e-commerce strategies, and promote our province’s brand through social media.
  • Productivity must improve to help New Brunswick businesses close the gap. Opportunities New Brunswick is designing programs to offer assessments and help our businesses close the productivity gap – especially our manufacturers who are struggling to scale their operations. This could mean embracing robotics, artificial intelligence, and just using existing technologies more effectively to increase outputs and improve overall competitiveness so they can weather this storm and come out the other end stronger.
  • Importantly, our government will ensure that energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from new constructions will be at least 25 percent lower than National Building Code requirements.

Want to know more about you local Member of the Legislative Assembly? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT.

HPBA Canada will follow the progress on the commitments made throughout these campaigns, and continue to provide updates to members.

To discuss any of these matters, feel free to contact:

Adam De Caire

Director, Public Affairs
HPBA Canada
(647) 998-4235
adam@hpbacanada.org
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Working from the Warmth of Home

Working from the Warmth of Home

by | Sep 30, 2020 | Consumer News, Heating Your Home, HPBAC Blog, Member News

Picture this: It’s mid afternoon on a cool October weekday, and you are about to log on to your fourth virtual meeting of the day. Most of the other callers will be in front of a bland background. Maybe a wall, or a bookshelf if they decide to get fancy. There may be one or two people on the call who are both adventurous and tech-savvy enough to use a virtual background: a sandy beach, their favourite golf course, or a luxurious office space that doesn’t really exist. And then there is you. You’re poised with the comfort and ambiance of a real fireplace just over your shoulder. Congratulations. You have won the meeting, and it hasn’t even started yet!

With the COVID-19 pandemic transforming how and where Canadians work, it’s no surprise that sales of home improvement and outdoor entertainment goods have been strong this summer.

“You’re looking at about $3.5 billion in sales in the month of June — that’s the latest figure from StatsCan. Not only higher than it was in May but it’s actually higher than it was in June last year — so you’ve actually seen growth over the comparable month pre-COVID,” said Karl Littler, Senior Vice-President of Public Affairs for the Retail Council of Canada.

Whether investing to take your home office to the next level, up the cozy-level in a bedroom, or adding new style and animation to a living space that may be seeing more living than usual for the foreseeable future, a fireplace adds warmth, elegance, and comfort to your home like nothing else.

If you haven’t explored what is available in the fireplace market recently, you will be pleasantly surprised at the flexibility of styles, sizes and fuel types now available, which provide nearly infinite options for location, design, and functionality within a home:

Fuel Options

  • Natural Gas remains a great option for beauty, warmth and convenience
  • Of course, some will opt for the traditional authenticity and comfort of a woodburning appliance
  • Ethanol or Alcohol Gel models offer the beauty of real flame with no smoke or smell, do not require any chimney or venting, and as a result can be installed virtually anywhere.
  • Electric fireplaces offer an alternative to real flame, which will appeal to some for safety, convenience, or design purposes

Heating vs. Decorative

You may also be surprised to know that not all fireplaces are designed to heat the space around them. Ethanol and alcohol gel models generally produce little heat, and Natural Gas, Electric, and even woodburning appliances can also be configured with little heat output for those seeking the aesthetic benefits of the appliance over heating functionality.

Design

To discuss trends and design options, HPBA Canada spoke with Adriana Mot, Principal of Toronto-based Dochia Interior Design since 2000. Both an architect and interior designer by training, Adriana has a unique perspective on the fireplace as a key design feature: “A fireplace can be a mix of art and architecture, and a feature element in any space”.

Adriana has identified the trends she has experienced with her most recent hearth projects:

  • Open flame, when safely available, is very much in, both indoors and outdoors. Outdoors, the feature can be a place to gather together. Indoors, it’s just something cool.
  • Simple and sleek linear fireplaces always remain popular.
  • Two sided fireplaces are popular, and can positively change the relationship between two rooms, such as tying a working space into a more family oriented space.
  • Three sided fireplaces are an elegant way to divide an otherwise open space.
  • Many clients are looking for ambiance and visual presence over heat production.

On the topic of working from home, Adriana notes “the office or work space is traditionally somewhere private and quiet, so adding the animation of a fireplace to the space where you will be working can make it feel less isolated and more comfortable while maintaining the necessary privacy.

Adriana has worked with beautiful appliances from a number of HPBA Canada member companies, referencing Canadian companies Montigo and Napoleon, as part of her more recent work, and has regular contact with many of the industry’s manufacturers to keep abreast of the latest developments in innovation and design.

Adriana Mot, Principal
Dochia Interior Design

If you are considering home updates in the near future, consider the beauty and animation of a feature fireplace.

Ottawa Wood Burning Changeout Program Provides Incentives to Replace Inefficient Appliances

by | Apr 26, 2019 | Consumer News, Press Releases

OTTAWA – Today, the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association of Canada, with funding support from the City of Ottawa, launched the Ottawa Wood Burning Changeout Program. The program, open to all rural residents of Ottawa, provides a financial incentive in the form of a rebate to encourage residents to replace an old, inefficient wood burning appliance with a new, certified appliance.

Pre-1992 wood stoves have limited controls on smoke emissions. In contrast, today’s modern stoves and fireplaces cut emissions by over 70 percent. Installing CSA/EPA-certified wood burning appliances have dramatic impacts on the indoor and outdoor air quality of communities, and woodstove changeout programs are proven to incentivize investment. In addition to the environmental benefit, there is also a financial benefit to home owners, as new appliances are more efficient, requiring less wood to produce the same amount of heat.

The program provides a rebate of up to 25% of the cost of purchasing and installing a new, certified wood burning appliance, to a maximum cap of $750. The program also benefits Ottawa area businesses, which serve as the exclusive retailers for the program. Applicants will also be required to prove that their old outgoing appliance is properly disposed of, to ensure that they are permanently removed from circulation.

“This program is a very practical investment that will have a positive and measurable environmental impact, both in the short and long-term,” said Mayor Jim Watson. “Having Ottawa businesses as exclusive retailers shows how environmental and economic benefits don’t have to be at odds with one another.”

The program will also feature a number of educational sessions on best burning practices, proper use of the appliances, proper preparation and storage of fuel, and more. For full program details, list of participating retailers, and to apply, residents should visit hpbacanada.org/ottawachangeoutprogram.

“Residents in our rural communities will really appreciate the chance to have a new appliance that provides the same comfortable heat, using less fuel than their old appliance, and with greatly reduced emissions,” said Councillor Eli El-Chantiry, Chair of the City of Ottawa’s  Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee. “And the fact that these new appliances all come from small, local Ottawa businesses makes the program ideal.”

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association of Canada is the national not-for-profit industry association that represents businesses which produce, sell, or service appliances and accessories in the hearth and barbecue industries in Canada.

 

Contact:

Adam De Caire
Director, Public Affairs
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association of Canada
647-998-4235
adam@hpbacanada.org