qathet Regional District (qRD) directors will consider recommending that staff be directed to apply for funding from the provincial Community Wood Smoke Reduction Program for 2023.
The board will also consider adding $10,250 in the 2023 solid waste management service budget for advertising, education and awareness, and rebate top-ups for the program.
Since 2019, qRD has successfully participated in the program and an average of 30 finance rebates are offered to help region residents convert old, uncertified woodstoves to high-efficiency, certified units.
At the August 17 finance committee meeting, directors were given an overview from Let’s Talk Trash team member Abby McLennan, who said this was the same program as in years past with some small updates.
City director and finance committee chair George Doubt said it looks like there is a focus on switching to heat pumps and high-efficiency wood-burning equipment.
“Last night at the city [of Powell River] committee of the whole meeting, we discussed contributing $30,000 to transfer from fossil fuels to heat pumps in the city,” said Doubt. “It’s all part of a good program.”
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said there was one caveat. She said when the power goes out on Texada Island, which it often does for three or four days, and one has a heat pump or electrically powered appliance, the householder is just plain cold, and there is no option but to use wood heat.
“Improving air quality is a good thing but people should have a backup,” said McCormick. “Without electricity, it’s hard to stay warm when you go the heat pump route. We have a heat pump and love it, but we also have a woodstove.”
McLennan said new to 2023 is an option to allow people to keep their woodstoves so long as it is EPA- or CSA-certified, and then upgrade to a heat pump.
“That’s a new feature because [McCormick’s] point was brought up, needing supplemental heat when it’s cold out or the power goes out,” added McLennan.
Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall said on Lasqueti Island, which he represents, there has been discussion recently regarding low-power heat pumps that might even be possible to use on the island.
“Probably, no one is going to get rid of their woodstove, however,” added Fall.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said he’d like to thank staff for the continued operation of the woodstove program. He said when he has been talking to other regional directors about air quality and smoke reduction, one of the topics that came up is sensors that are being put up around the province to determine air quality. He said he went to a map that he was directed to and qathet region seems to be a dead zone in terms of monitoring. He asked if there was any plan in the future to monitor air quality control.
“As we continue this program we can see the impacts, to see if we are making that difference and improving the air quality in the local community,” added Gisborne.
Chief financial officer Al Radke said qRD doesn’t operate a program so it would have to reach out to the province.
“The latest air quality reports that I’ve seen, we still have some of the cleanest air in the province,” said Radke. “For all intents and purposes, we are very fortunate to be granted this money because of our clean air status. The money goes a long way toward those families and property owners who can use heat effectively.”
Manager of operational services Patrick Devereaux said the regional district is installing monitors to check air quality in the region.
