In our short documentary ‘Fighting Energy Poverty with Free Heat Pumps’, we share the story of a unique free heat pump program on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Prince Edward Island has one of the highest energy poverty rates in the country, alongside increasing vulnerability to climate impacts. 

Free heat pumps are one tool being used to improve energy efficiency, increase affordability, and increase resilience to extreme temperatures. Heat pumps are electric appliances used for both heating and cooling a home. They help replace gas or oil furnaces, allowing communities to reduce reliance on toxic & polluting fossil fuels. 

Alongside reducing our dependence on fossil fuels -adaptation and building resilience to worsening climate impacts is non-negotiable, especially for communities on the frontlines of climate impacts in Canada. Although some provinces have dirtier grids than others, heat pumps lower emissions in all Canadian provinces because they are so energy efficient. The benefits will only increase as electrical grids shift to more renewable sources.

Our documentary ‘Heat Pumps Save Lives’ tells the story of how heat pumps helped keep people cool during the Heat Dome in 2021. This is when hot air is trapped by high pressure and prevents cool air from entering a region which causes temperatures to rise and stay high – often with devastating impacts. The Heat Dome was Canada’s deadliest extreme weather event to date and 619 people lost their lives due to the heat. In the story from H W Flesher Housing Co-operative in British Columbia we learn that tragedies like this could be prevented in the future by switching to heat pumps which can be used to both heat and cool your home. The members of this co-operative banded together to install heat pumps in all 100 units, months ahead of the 2021 heat dome, and they say this decisive action saved lives.