The PG Air Improvement Roundtable will receive 45-hundred dollars from the province to be put toward its Wood Stove Exchange Program.
Residents in PG, as well as the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, can receive up to $1000 in rebates if they upgrade their old wood stove for a pellet stove, heat pump or a natural gas or emissions certified appliance.
Spokesperson, Lindsay Sackett told MyPGNow.com certain areas of the city are struggling with wood smoke.
“Not every neighborhood in Prince George is the same. The Hart specifically has quite a few issues with wood smoke pollution because of the way people heat their homes as well as the topography.”
“Every neighbourhood is different.”
She added the winter season can prove challenging when it comes to wood smoke.
“Just because we get those temperature inversions where particulate matter settles near the ground and it gets trapped there by the air. Winter is bad especially because people are heating their homes.”
Since 2008, the Wood Stove Exchange Program has provided more than $3.8 million to replace over 10,000 stoves with cleaner heating options across BC according to the province.
In addition, the provincial government is also providing $4500 to PGAIR that will be invested into the program.
Through the 2021-22 Wood Stove Exchange Program, 21 communities are receiving funding or have sufficient funding from previous years to continue offering rebates to their residents.