Features Residential
LiveSmart BC services transitioning to BC Hydro; FortisBC provides co-funding

With the conclusion of the LiveSmart BC: Small Business program on March 31, 2014, the Business Energy Advisor (BEA) service will transition to BC Hydro. It will oversee five BEA positions—with co-funding from FortisBC—and will continue to offer free energy assessments and provide recommendations to small businesses on energy efficiency upgrades.

BC Hydro and FortisBC will also continue to offer energy-efficient product incentives, for which the BEAs will help eligible businesses apply. BC Hydro will issue the RFPs for five BEAs this spring, and LiveSmart BC will remain involved in the BEA program, “sharing best practices and providing guidance”.

To help residential customers reduce their water and space heating costs, BC Hydro and FortisBC will expand the incentives available to residential customers beyond those currently offered under the LiveSmart BC program later this year.

To help customers reduce their bills by using less electricity, BC Hydro is investing $1.6 billion in Power Smart programs over the term of the government’s 10-Year Plan. This includes funding to provide energy efficiency kits free-of-charge to eligible low-income British Columbians, as well as funding for the Energy Conservation Assistance Program, which provides free energy assessments, refrigerator replacements and insulation upgrades to low-income households.