September 12, 2007

Share the Warmth™ Home Energy Efficiency Project helps Saskatchewan families
keep money in their pockets and warmth in their homes this winter

Volunteers from SaskEnergy, TransGas, SaskEnergy Network Members, The Salvation Army, SIAST and the community will help nearly 500 Saskatchewan families improve the energy efficiency of their homes through this year’s SaskEnergy Share the Warmth™ Home Energy Efficiency Project.

The Share the Warmth Home Energy Efficiency Project, into its third year, will help families in Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Melville, Yorkton, Weyburn, Regina, Estevan, Prince Albert, and Saskatoon over the next four weeks. The program’s goal is to help 2,500 homeowners by 2010. This year’s program kicked off today in Swift Current.

“SaskEnergy and the Government of Saskatchewan support a number of energy conservation initiatives, but this community-driven program is a success because it is fueled by volunteer energy,” said Pat Atkinson, Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy. “While the low-cost solutions will reduce the energy used by the families involved, these small, simple changes are something all homeowners can do to save energy and money, and reduce the impact on the environment.”

The Share the Warmth Home Energy Efficiency Project will allow families in Saskatchewan to benefit from over $200 worth of home improvements including: replacing furnace filters; installing programmable thermostats; replacing standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs; installing a low-flow showerhead and preparing windows and doors for winter. As a result of these improvements, families can save, on average, $95 annually on their natural gas and electric bills and will also see long-term water consumption savings.

“The strength of this program is the bonds it forms within a neighborhood, the legacy of more energy efficient homes in communities, and the inspiration volunteers bring when they give from their hearts, ” said Major Leonard Millar of the Salvation Army. “When members of a community work for a common goal, everyone benefits.”

The Share the Warmth Home Energy Efficiency Project is available to homeowners with a combined annual household income of no more than $45,000. Local Salvation Army chapters have been responsible for selecting the families who will benefit from the project.

“This project gives our faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to work together, side-by-side, outside of the classroom setting” said Dr. R.G. (Bob) McCulloch, President and CEO of SIAST. “It also instills in our students the importance of community involvement, which we hope will become a life-long commitment.”

Homeowners interested in next year’s project should contact The Salvation Army at (306) 757-3111.