It’s a subject that is raised almost every year in municipalities across the country and often pits those with serious health concerns against people who say they can’t afford to heat their homes any other way — wood stoves.
The provincial government said this week it is “improving air quality” by providing 14 communities and regional districts with $190,000 as part of the Provincial Wood Stove Exchange Program.
The program provides a $250 rebate when a new wood-burning, pellet or natural gas stove is purchased to replace an older model. Last year, the provincial government said nearly 600 stoves were exchanged throughout the province and the goal is to have a similar number exchanged in 2017.
“Our successful wood stove exchange program encourages homeowners to reduce emissions by at least 70 per cent by swapping out outdated, inefficient stoves and replacing them with new, high-efficiency ones,” said Environment Minister Mary Polak. “By upgrading these appliances and making a concerted effort to burn smarter, British Columbians are proactively improving their personal health while improving air quality in their communities.”
The Regional District of Nanaimo will get $19,500 from the province for its rebate program.
If at least two Parksville city councillors would have had their way in recent years, no one in that city would ever receive the rebate because wood-burning would be banned.
“I don’t think we understand the health impact it (wood smoke) has,” Coun. Sue Powell said during the city’s debate on a new burning bylaw in 2015.
Powell is now the NDP’s candidate for the May, 2017 provincial election in Parksville-Qualicum.
The B.C. Lung Association has partnered with the province on the rebate program. The association administers the wood stove exchange program on behalf of the province and provides educational materials and support to participating communities.
“Wood smoke is a major contributor to air pollution and replacing old wood-burning appliances with new, cleaner models is not only beneficial for the environment but also helps reduce impacts to public health,” said B.C. Lung Association CEO Scott McDonald.
At the time of the bylaw debate in Parksville, Coun. Kirk Oates called for a total ban on wood burning.
“People who want wood stoves can perhaps move to the regional district,” he said.
In the end, Parksville city council passed a bylaw in July of 2015 that allows for the installation of solid-fuel-burning appliances in homes, provided they conform to the standards of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA – U.S.). That might not have been a necessary provision because in B.C., all new wood stoves and inserts sold must meet CSA or EPA emission standards.
The province also supplied some tips for wood burning:
• Always use dry, well-seasoned wood cut into pieces that are 10-15 cm in diameter. Burning “green” or wet wood produces significantly more smoke.
• Firewood should be seasoned for at least six months. Burning seasoned wood also saves money by reducing wood consumption by 25 per cent.
• By burning smaller, hotter fires to ensure complete combustion of the wood, there should be very little visible smoke coming from the chimney and no smell of smoke indoors.
• Wood-burning appliances should be inspected and cleaned at least once a year by a certified technician.
