THUNDER BAY — The city is looking for public input into a possible home retrofit financing program.
“We're looking at the houses that are existing in Thunder Bay and how we can retrofit those to make them more energy efficient,” said Danielle Thom, a climate action specialist with the City of Thunder Bay.
“So right now, we have almost 90 per cent of our houses fuelled by natural gasses and/or fossil fuels and so we want to switch that to electricity. A loan program will hopefully make it easier for folks to access that technology and undergo those renovations and make our city cleaner and greener.”
Thom was at Goods & Co. on Friday for the first of three public engagement sessions this winter for the proposed home energy improvement loan program.
She said they’ve been working on the program since 2021-2022 and already have a feasibility study out on community efficiency financing.
For these sessions, the City is asking about the types of loans people would be comfortable accessing, what kind of housing people are looking at retrofitting and what sort of retrofits or renovations people are interested in doing on their homes.
Two more public sessions are scheduled: Saturday at the Thunder Bay Country Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a final session on Jan. 18 at Intercity Shopping Centre.
A survey is also available online with hard copies available at city hall and all library branches.
Thom said there is interest in the program, with some in the community already making these retrofits and changes.
“Those are our kind of early adopters and we're trying to expand kind of those green retrofits to folks that maybe haven't been able to afford it before,” said Thom.
She said federal grants do exist for green retrofits, but there is always some doubt about whether grant and loan programs will continue.
“So, we really want to be able to make one available municipally, locally, to fit Thunder Bay residents and allow people to access this long-term," said Thom.
There are multiple benefits, she said, that "people are sure to be excited about."
These loans would not only be for homeowners looking to make their lives greener but also to finance overall house comfort as the climate continues to change, with more extreme weather events, and to support upgrades and increase home value before sale.
While the program has gone through its feasibility stage and is currently in its design phase with preparations to likely move into implementation in 2026, she said there have been some questions about other existing programs that would also help with home renovations.
Some of these programs could relate similarly to their additional dwelling unit grant, the lead pipe replacement program and others concerning climate adaptation or climate resiliency, including their tree plant programs.
“We're really looking at all our options and we're hoping to make kind of a one-stop shop for folks that are looking to add value to their home and make it more climate-friendly and climate ready,” said Thom.
Residents can find more information and the survey on the City’s Get Involved platform.
