Dec 17th, 2024

Hydro Ottawa’s Retrofit Accelerator program powers Ottawa Community Housing to reduce emissions

OTTAWA – December 17, 2024 – Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. (Hydro Ottawa) is supporting Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) in making significant strides towards reducing emissions across its portfolio through the Ottawa Retrofit Accelerator (ORA) program. 

As part of this initiative, OCH has engaged Envari Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa and ORA approved carbon pathway study delivery consultant. Envari’s expertise will provide OCH with a comprehensive analysis and a tailored roadmap to maximize energy efficiency across 38 high-rise buildings and pursue its emission reduction targets.  They hope the rest of OCH’s portfolio will also go through the programs.

This ambitious project aims to align OCH with the City of Ottawa’s Climate Change Master plan of achieving a 96 per cent reduction in OCH’s emissions by 2040.

This collaboration between Hydro Ottawa and Ottawa Community Housing exemplifies the power of partnership in tackling climate change. Hydro Ottawa’s innovative energy solutions are helping OCH achieve its environmental goals, while OCH’s leadership in sustainability sets a model for other commercial, institutional, or multi-residential buildings to follow in the transition to cleaner energy.

Quick facts

• In July of 2024, OCH and Hydro Ottawa announced an expansion to their existing partnership to further reduce carbon emissions in OCH communities through innovative energy-saving projects. These projects included technical support for the installation of EV charging infrastructure, heat pumps, on-site solar panels, and building automatic systems.
• Hydro Ottawa’s ORA program is available to commercial, institutional, mid-rise and high-rise residential buildings within Hydro Ottawa service territory.
• Hydro Ottawa was selected by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to deliver the Ottawa Retrofit Accelerator, a $10 million program running until March 31, 2027.
• Hydro Ottawa’s ORA program provides an ecosystem of support services to help streamline the deep retrofit process and cover a portion of the cost.
• OCH’s goal is to align with the City of Ottawa’s Climate Change Master Plan of reducing emissions by 96 per cent by 2040. 
• Since 2011, OCH has saved $64.1 million as a result of their sustainability and efficiency efforts.

Quotes:

“This partnership is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in tackling climate change and the energy transition. We’re proud to support Ottawa Community Housing in leading the way towards decarbonizing through our Ottawa Retrofit Accelerator program. By investing in energy efficiency and embracing innovative solutions, we can help OCH achieve its ambitious carbon reduction goals while making their buildings more comfortable and affordable for residents. This project is a testament to our shared commitment to a sustainable future for Ottawa.”

Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer

“Reviewing our eco performance is crucial for integrating our climate goals into our long-term capital planning. By understanding the decarbonization pathways for each of our buildings, we can make informed decisions on infrastructure upgrades, ensuring both sustainability and affordability for our residents.”

Stéphane Giguère, CEO of Ottawa Community Housing

Learn more about Hydro Ottawa’s ORA program.

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Media contacts

Susan Fekete
Manager, Media and Public Affairs
Hydro Ottawa
Tel: 613-738-5499 ext. 2345
mediarelations@hydroottawa.com

Esther Njuguna
Media Relations Specialist
Ottawa Community Housing
media@och.ca
343-961-4035

About Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.

Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. (Hydro Ottawa) is a private company 100 per cent owned by the City of Ottawa and whose core businesses are electricity distribution, renewable energy generation, energy solutions, telecommunications and utility services. As a leading partner in a smart energy future, Hydro Ottawa is committed to sustainability and reducing its impact on the environment in all aspects of its operations. It owns and operates four primary subsidiary companies: Hydro Ottawa Limited – a local distribution company that delivers electricity to more than 364,000 customers in the City of Ottawa and the Village of Casselman; Portage Power – the largest Ontario-based municipally-owned producer of green power with 131 megawatts of installed green generation capacity (enough to power 110,000 homes); Envari – an energy solutions company offering products and services that help reduce energy consumption and costs for municipalities, industrial and commercial clients, and various local distribution companies; and Hiboo Networks – a high-speed fiber optic network solutions and internet service company providing customers in the Ottawa-Gatineau region with secure and scalable connectivity to enable a strong digital future.

About Ottawa Community Housing

Ottawa Community Housing offers approximately 15,000 homes to about 33,000 tenants, including seniors, families, individuals, and people with disabilities. These homes are located in various communities throughout the City of Ottawa and house a diverse population with different languages, cultures, and ethnicities. OCH is Ottawa’s primary community housing provider, managing two-thirds of the city’s housing portfolio and ranking as the second largest in Ontario. It operates at an arms-length of the City of Ottawa. In 2024, OCH earned recognition for the seventh consecutive year as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers.

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