Anyone who lives in Banff or any part of the Foothills knows that we all need to work together to protect the beautiful nature that makes our home special.
Taking care of these places can seem a mountainous task – pun intended – especially when making the needed changes can cost a lot of money.
In Banff, however, there’s a lot of financial support for those wishing to make a beneficial impact.
But these initiatives are not as advertised as widely they could be, so here are a few you maybe haven’t heard of!
From rooftop solar initiatives to e-bike adventures and a potential lawn makeover, these programs are designed not just to make the town greener but also can put some extra money back in your pockets.
Soak Up the Sun Plus Some Savings
Looking to take your Banff home off the grid?
Whether you’re looking to save on energy bills or you’re prepping for doomsday – you can get paid to do so.
Banff’s Solar Incentive Program is a post-install rebate program, with funding based on the size of the solar system installed.
If you want to add solar panels to your home or business, the town will reimburse you for $750/kilowatt (kW) of solar capacity installed, to a maximum of 20 kW. That’s up to $15,000 in rebates!
Considering that it costs between $15,000 and $30,000 for a solar install on an average single-family home in Alberta, a $15,000 reimbursement is huge!
With an average of 15 hours of daily sun in summer and over nine hours in winter, a solar photovoltaic system will generate power daily and more than pay itself back over time.
You can calculate how long it’ll take to recoup your solar investment here.
Ride into the Future: E-Bike Rebates Powering Change
Since 2022, the town has utilized a chunk of the paid parking revenues from visitors to fund e-bike rebates for residents and businesses.
“Anecdotally, I see folks riding on bikes that I’ve never seen on a bike, let alone an e-bike, and that is such an encouraging sign of people wanting to shift the way that they commute and that this has been a way for them to do it,” said Mayor Corrie DiManno.
The town gave out 186 e-bike rebates last year, including 176 for residents and 10 for commercial entities.
The program will continue, and you can apply for rebates here.
While e-bikes may be one of the “shinier” items residents can get a rebate on, you can also apply for rebates on many other environmentally friendly appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, toilets, heat pumps, windows, doors, water heaters, furnaces – the list goes on.
So before you buy anything that uses energy, make sure to check to see if you can get a rebate to buy more energy-smart versions.
Grass Isn’t Always Greener
This one is new, but if residents get on board, you could get a whole new lawn funded next summer.
The town council is looking into a lawn replacement incentive program to reduce water consumption in the community.
Traditional grass lawns are far from environmentally friendly, and utilizing native plants instead can save you a pretty penny in water bills.
“The thrust here is to replace turf lawns, which are typically water intensive, with a landscape that is not water intensive,” said Darren Enns, Director of Planning and Environment for the Town of Banff.
The administration is exploring this topic and will develop a rebate program for the Council’s consideration, along with a public awareness campaign to educate residents and businesses about the benefits of lawn alternatives.
The potential initiative also aligns with existing incentive programs surrounding water usage.
Currently, residents can get rebates for using rain barrels or cisterns to replace valuable drinking water with rainwater to water lawns.
Funds from the town’s environmental reserve could support a $5,000 lawn replacement program in 2024, followed by $10,000 in 2025 and 2026, plus an additional $1,000 annually for advertising.
It’s a practical step toward sustainability in Banff.
The point is that there’s more help out there to help your family hit net zero than you think.
If you want to make impactful changes in your home, Banff will likely help support them.
Whether you try out a fancy new bike or re-panel your roof, your choices will help shape a future where everyone can enjoy the natural landscapes we’re lucky enough to live in for generations to come.
Green for the earth and green in your wallet – what’s not to like?
