All of the Yukon’s eight municipalities have signed agreements to participate in delivering the Yukon government’s Better Buildings program.

Haines Junction, Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Faro, Mayo, Dawson City, Teslin and Carmacks have signed agreements to participate in delivering the program.

This means all Yukon residential and commercial property owners throughout the Yukon can access low-interest funding to make energy-efficiency retrofits to their homes and businesses, the government said Feb. 16.

The Better Buildings program provides up to $50,000 for residential and $100,000 for commercial buildings for upgrades that reduce annual energy consumption.

Eligible participants repay through local improvement charges added to their annual property taxes.

Since the program’s launch in October 2022, 30 homeowners from Whitehorse, Faro, Haines Junction and Dawson City have applied to the program along with five commercial building owners.

Supporting Yukoners in make energy-efficient retrofits to buildings and homes is a commitment under Our Clean Future: A Yukon strategy for climate change, energy and a green economy.

“We thank all eight municipalities for signing onto the Better Buildings program and opening the door for the Better Buildings program in their communities,” said Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn.

“We are grateful to the Association of Yukon Communities and their municipal representatives for their support and helping improve the program design.

“Now, all eligible Yukon property owners who otherwise could not afford an energy retrofit improvement can use this low-interest rate program to make energy retrofits to their homes and buildings.”

Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker said Yukoners “are keen to reduce their carbon footprint and protect the environment.

“With all of the Yukon’s communities delivering the Better Buildings program, we are making it easier for all home and building owners throughout the Yukon to access low-interest funding for completing energy-efficient retrofits and reducing their energy use.

“The Better Buildings program, combined with our Good Energy rebates, makes retrofits achievable, saves Yukoners money and reduces our collective greenhouse gas emissions,” Streicker added.

Property owners can also qualify for Good Energy rebates when implementing energy-efficient upgrades.

Similar to the Rural Electrification and Telecommunications and Domestic Water Well programs, the Better Buildings program provides up to 25 per cent of the property’s assessed value to a maximum of $50,000 for residential and $100,000 for commercial buildings.

“Climate change has demonstrably become one of the defining hurdles of our time; addressing and adapting to these climate challenges has shown itself to require partnership and the co-operation at all levels of government to succeed in meeting our collective, established goals,” said Ted Laking, the president of the Association of Yukon Communities.

“The municipalities of Yukon Territory endorse the opportunity to partner with the Government of Yukon on tackling this multifaceted issue,” added Laking, a Whitehorse city councillor.

“We are looking forward to a collaboration of future success with the government and in improving the lives of Yukon citizens.”

Funding under the Better Buildings program is provided at the Bank of Canada interest rate. Approved applicants pay a one-time $500 administration fee.

The municipalities levy and collect the local improvement tax along with property taxes and remit them to the government.