The COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions are frequently cited, but not the only reasons for uneven uptake of Ontario’s energy retrofit and performance incentives over the past two years.

For public partners, P3s are a means to transfer risk. For the private sector, infrastructure’s recession-proof profile dovetails with expectations for a prolonged building spree.

The Ontario government has pledged $342 million in additional energy efficiency spending to be rolled out between the spring of 2023 and the end of 2024.

Electricity grid capacity is critical to enable the buildings and transportation sectors to move away from fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Utilities and other entities selling power into public transmission and distribution networks have about 12 years to cut the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from their production processes down to near-zero levels.

The Ontario Liberals and NDP are making similar pledges to inject more funding into the energy conservation programs that have been downscaled during the current provincial government’s tenure.

Ontario’s large commercial customers will have somewhat more straightforward parameters for carving out their share of the global adjustment as they prepare for expected summer peak demand.

Canada ranks 7th for its policy measures and second-last in performance outcomes in an analysis of energy efficiency efforts in the world's 25 highest energy-consuming countries.

The budget also includes $232.5 million over five years to help universities and colleges rent additional space and $43 million to underwrite an extra 1,600 subsidized units in private rental housing.

The International Energy Agency commends Canada's targets and policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and identifies it as a potential key player in the transition to low-carbon energy sources

Two distinct, but complementary new federal programs promise funds for community buildings. Both are focused on meeting GHG reduction targets and are aligned with a pledge to invest $15 billion to address climate change and boost the green economy.

The commercial real estate, facilities management and construction/retrofit sectors appear poised to capture a share of the spending announced in the Canadian government’s fall economic statement.

PACE financing is an innovative green loan instrument that can help owners with building retrofits to reduce carbon pollution.

The World Trade Organization agreed with Canada that the U.S. conflated wholesale and retail electricity rates to arrive at its supposition that B.C. and Quebec hydro utilities overpaid for biomass power.

The move concludes the process begun five months ago when the newly elected United Conservative Party government repealed the carbon tax and eliminated the funding source for the incentives.

According to CaGBC public energy disclosure is in its "infancy" in Canada.

Despite information posted on the Energy Efficiency Alberta website for more than a month, commercial customers do not qualify for the new incentives announced in May 2018.