SolarBC and nine
Solar Communities are hosting the first annual BC Solar Days, on May 28 and 29. This province-wide solar
celebration runs in conjunction with Europe’s annual solar week, which sees more than 5,000 activities in 10
countries across Europe. B.C. will be hosting community expos, children’s fairs, solar open houses and tours,
workshops and student solar competitions. Join us in this celebration, and help spread the word about solar
energy in our communities.
“The search for alternative and renewable energy sources is more prevailing and urgent as ever,” said
Hans-Gert Pöttering, president of the European Parliament, during the Solar Week 2009 opening speech. “In
light of climate change increasing at a threatening pace, our planet is in major danger. It is our duty to do
everything in our means to come to peace with nature.”
If you would like to get involved and host a fun community solar event, be it a community group, school or
local government, contact us at 1-866-650-6527 or info@solarbc.ca to register. We’ll provide you with event ideas,
post your community’s plan of action on our website and provide marketing coverage, as well as SolarBC
brochures and postcards, t-shirts and other fun goodies for you to hand out at your event.
Each of our official Solar Communities will be hosting one or more public events for Solar Days, from a
two-day expo in Kelowna to North Vancouver solar tours and a Tofino beach day that will showcase their
recently installed Cox Bay solar hot water showers. Vancouver is the newest official SolarBC Solar Community,
and will be taking the public on tours of the Net Zero Building in the Olympic Village.
“The City of Vancouver is thrilled to be SolarBC’s newest Solar Community,” says sustainable development
planner Rachel Moscovich. She adds that they look forward to working to move solar to the mainstream and
growing the solar technology industry in Vancouver and throughout B.C.
Stepping in this direction they recently announced their Solar Homes Strategy, which is currently financing
up to 50% (about $3,500) of the cost of installing a solar hot water system, which will be available for 15
months to 50 new houses on a first-come, first-served basis. This program, in partnership with SolarBC,
Terasen and Offsetters, follows on the heels of Vancouver’s 2008 Green Homes Program, which requires all new
houses to be solar ready.
“We welcome the City into our Solar Communities program and look forward to working in partnership with the
City towards demonstrating the potential for solar hot water throughout B.C.,” says SolarBC executive
director Nitya Harris.
For more information you can call SolarBC directly at 1-866-650-6527 or visit the website at solarbc.ca. For a
SolarRating visit solarrating.ca.
