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Tex McLeod, Manager of Hearth Products Association of Canada (HPAC)
"Not all wood burning is created equal," says Tex McLeod, Manager of the Hearth Products
Association of Canada (HPAC). "In fact, it’s very important to distinguish between good wood
burning and bad wood burning ... it can make a major difference to the quality of our environment."
HPAC, in partnership with The Association of Registered Wood Energy Technicians of Ontario (ARWETO),
was a key program partner in The Great Eastern Ontario Wood Stove Change-Out - a pilot project designed
to improve air quality by promoting cleaner, safer and more efficient residential wood burning.
"We have to communicate the message," Tex continues to explain, "wood heat is a renewable
resource and a very viable option for many Canadians when managed properly and used well." In fact,
wood stoves played an essential role in keeping many Eastern Ontario residents warm and out of emergency
shelters during the Ice Storm of 1998. On January 8th, the anniversary of the storm, The Great Eastern
Ontario Wood Stove Change-Out was launched. The initiative featured a range of activities to inform the
public of the benefits of clean wood burning stoves and appliances, practice better burning techniques,
and encourage purchases of cleaner-burning Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or United States
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) certified wood stoves or fireplace inserts.
To encourage people to replace older technology stoves or fireplaces to CSA- or USEPA-approved appliances,
over 25 participating Eastern Ontario wood stove retailers offered special trade-in rebates. Local
retailers reported a total of 113 official change-outs during the 8-week period, plus additional 60 new
USEPA stoves sold.
Speaking about this initiative, Ian Murray, Member of Parliament, emphasized that "Given our growing
concern for climate change, this initiative provides a positive example of what can be done. Through the
use of Canadian renewable energy, and by decreasing our dependence on greenhouse gas producing fossil
fuels, we can improve energy efficiency and reduce both local and global air pollution."
Following on the success of the Change-Out, HPAC enlisted the support of Natural Resources Canada and
Environment Canada. The result is an information and education campaign called Operation Burn Clean, which
encourages woodburning consumers to purchase or upgrade to safer, cleaner-burning, certified USEPA or CSA
advanced-technology wood burning appliances. The strategy is in direct response to the reported increased
sales of old technology woodstoves after the 1998 Ice Storm. Point-of-purchase material featuring the
campaign theme "Renewing an Old Flame" helps educate the "wood burning consumer" about
the many benefits of the new technology.
And the benefits are really important! They include:
- increased safety through better operation and installation practices
- improved energy efficiency and resource utilization
- reduced operating costs for those who purchase their fuelwood
- increased emergency heat capabilities
- enhanced enjoyment of the fire with clean glass viewing and simpler operation
- cleaner air, reduced greenhouse gases and reduced use of fossil fuels
- supporting rural communities by keeping money at the local level
- creating new jobs harvesting and delivering fuelwood and processing pellet fuels
Fully 20% of all single-family dwellings in Canada use wood as a primary or secondary fuel for heating.
While there are no regulations enforcing the use of clean-burning systems in Ontario, it is gratifying
to see that residents appreciate its enormous benefits and are voluntarily making the move to upgrade
and burn better.
For more information, please call the Wood Energy Technical Training (WETT) Change-Out hotline at
1 888 358-9388 or visit the Wood Heating Web site at
http://www.woodheat.org/environment/environment.htm.
Ontario Region Success Stories
Great Lakes Success Stories
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