by Morinville News Staff
On Monday, the Wildrose called on the NDP government to justify hiring Ontario-based Ecofitt to run its Residential No-Charge Energy Savings Program, announced by the government Feb. 28.
The government believes the program will make life more affordable for Alberta families by helping them conserve energy through the latest innovations. The program has Albertans registering online to have Ecofitt install energy saving bulbs and low-flow showerheads at no cost to the home owner.
The Wildrose say the company will “receive and spend tens of millions of tax dollars” to provide the energy efficient items.
The opposition charges that the Mississauga-based Ecofitt did not register to do business in Alberta until Dec. 22, 2016, which the Wildrose say is the same day the request for government proposals to deliver the program closed.
“The NDP government is taking billions of dollars from Albertans to spend on pet projects for out of province companies, and it’s Albertans who are losing out,” said Wildrose Shadow Electricity & Renewables Minister Don MacIntyre in a release Monday. “Albertans would rather have their money stay in their pockets instead of the government taking their money so they offer them ‘free’ installation of power bars and nightlights.”
Wildrose Shadow Environment Minister Todd Loewen sees the move as one more problem with the government’s Carbon Tax programs.
“The carbon tax has just started and will get more and more expensive under the NDP government in the years to come,” Loewen said. “Albertans care deeply about the environment, but they don’t appreciate seeing billions of their tax dollars handed over to out of province companies to give them new shower heads.”
Ecofitt, in business since 2005,describes itself as “a conservation focused manufacturer, wholesaler, and supplier of products and programs, primarily targeting utilities, retailers and distributors across North America.”
