The City of Airdrie may be the next municipality to implement the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP), a 2-year pilot program providing homeowners and organizations with access to low-cost financing to make energy efficient upgrades or add renewable energy installations to their properties.
Mayor Peter Brown brought forward the motion during a regular meeting of council on Feb. 6 to direct administration to investigate the feasibility of implementing the CEIP in Airdrie.
According to a notice of motion, the program would allow Airdrie property owners access to a “unique and innovative” financing tool to pay for energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to their residential and commercial properties.
The mayor said the principle and intent of the motion is to merely assess the program that is administered by Alberta Municipalities, keeping in mind there may be a cost to the municipality. Though any financing administered by the program would be repaid by the property owner through the owner’s property taxes.
“I think it’s an exciting opportunity. Calgary was the latest one and Edmonton is already there [to implement the program],” said Brown during the meeting. “I thought it’d be a really great if Airdrie stepped up.”
Additionally, Brown added there may be both provincial and federal monies that can be used to aid the financing of the program.
Coun. Al Jones said the program reminded him of a similar one implemented in Airdrie in the late 1990s to early 2000s incentivizing low flow toilets.
“Our community still benefits from [this] today,” he said adding he is in favour of the concept of the CEIP program.
All members of council voted unanimously in favor of directing the City’s administration to further assess the program.
