FREDERICTON – Green Party leader and MLA for Fredericton South David Coon has tabled a motion in the Legislative Assembly that calls on the government to extend the Enhanced Energy Savings Program to provide upfront assistance to help New Brunswickers who heat with oil and gas convert to a heat pump system.

“A program that would help New Brunswickers replace their oil or gas furnace with a heat pump would be a win-win,” said Coon. “Heat pumps are more efficient and cheaper to run, both reducing our carbon emissions and saving New Brunswickers on the high cost of filling up their oil tanks.”

According to Canadians for Affordable Energy, over 46,000 New Brunswick households heated with oil as of 2019. 37% of New Brunswick households are in energy poverty, defined as spending over 6% of after-tax income on energy.

“With furnace oil prices well over $2 per litre, there is no time to spare in helping get New Brunswickers off of oil heat,” said Coon. “Minister Holland needs to act now to get this program rolling to help people before winter is over.”