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LiveSmart BC

LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program Components

The program has 4 elements: 
Business Energy Advisors (BEAs) - Direct Install Program - Enhanced Product Incentives - LiveSmart Champion Program.
Click on the links above or read below to find out more.

  1. BUSINESS ENERGY ADVISORS (BEAs):
    • Targets small businesses that spend up to $50,000 per year on electricity.
       
    • Business Energy Advisors are available to visit eligible businesses and work directly with them to identify potential energy and money saving opportunities, including lighting, hot water, heating and ventilation improvements.
       
    • Advisors can help businesses access other available incentives and LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program components, including coordinating the installation of the equipment on behalf of the owner.
       
    • Business Energy Advisors are available across the Province in the following seven regions and four sectors:
      • Mainland/Southwest, Vancouver Island/Coast, Thompson-Okanagan, Kootenays, Cariboo, Northcoast/Nechako and the Northeast;
      • Accommodation, business office, retail, agriculture and the food services sector.

    For more information about Business Energy Advisors in your area, consult the Map of Business Energy Advisors.

  2. DIRECT INSTALL: 
    • aka. FortisBC/LiveSmart BC Lighting Installation Program (FLIP). 
       
    • Targets small businesses that spend up to $20,000 per year on electricity.
       
    • Coordinates and funds 100 per cent of the cost to install select products such as energy efficient lighting and lighting controls and pre-rinse spray valves to conserve hot water in commercial kitchens (available in specified regions of the province).

    The Direct Install program is now available to businesses that meet the following criteria:
     (1) the business has an annual electricity bill of less than $20,000; AND
     (2) the business is located in any of the following locations:
                - Fortis BC electricity service area
                - BC Hydro electricity service areas of West Kelowna, Winfield, Peachland, Cranbrook, Invermere or Kimberly
                - Municipal utility service areas of Kelowna, Penticton, Grand Forks, District of Summerland and Nelson

    Phone 1-866-932-8283 or e-mail flip@fortisbc.com to book an assessment.
      

  3.  ENHANCED PRODUCT INCENTIVES: 
    • BC Hydro PIP Program
      • Targets businesses that are eligible for BC Hydro’s Product Incentive Program (PIP).
      • BC Hydro’s PIP provides cash rebates on more than 10,000 energy efficient technologies including lighting, refrigeration, and commercial cooking equipment.
      • BC Hydro PIP participants can receive an additional 10% from LiveSmart BC.
        You do not need to have an energy assessment or book an appointment to access the Product Incentive Program incentives.
      • For information on enhanced incentives through BC Hydro's PIP program, visit www.bchydro.com/incentives or phone 1-866-522-4713.
         
    • FortisBC Natural Gas Programs
      • Target businesses that are eligible for FortisBC Natural Gas Efficient Boiler, Light Commercial Energy Star Boiler and Efficient Commercial Water Heater Programs.
      • The LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program offers the following additional incentives to these FortisBC Programs:
         
      • Efficient Boiler Program
        • LiveSmart BC will match the FortisBC incentive for an efficient natural gas boiler, up to a maximum of $1495.
      • Light Commercial ENERGY STAR Boiler Program
        • LiveSmart will match the FortisBC incentive for a light commercial ENERGY STAR boiler, up to a maximum of $1495.
      • Efficient Commercial Water Heater
        • LiveSmart will match the FortisBC incentive for an efficient commercial natural gas water heater, up to a maximum of $15,000.
           
      • For more information on FortisBC programs, visit http://www.fortisbc.com/businessoffers
      • FortisBC offers rebates to help small businesses reduce their gas consumption through improving the efficiency of heating and hot water heating equipment.
      • To be eligible for these incentives, businesses must meet the FortisBC and LiveSmart BC Small Business Program Eligibility Requirements.
         
         
  4. LIVESMART CHAMPION PROGRAM
    • The LiveSmart Champion Program provides funding to selected businesses to develop creative ways to conserve energy. The LiveSmart Champion program is seeking small business champions in two separate areas:  Innovation and Energy Efficiency.  The Champion Program will award up to a total of $550,000 in funding, with a maximum amount of $25,000 to any one applicant.
       
    • The Winter Call for Applications has now closed. The evaluation team is currently reviewing submissions and will be contacting applicants during the month of April, 2012.
         
    • The Champion Application process is a TWO part application Process
      1. One must have submitted a Letter of Interest according to the details provided in the 2012 Champion Call for Applications (as noted above) before March 21st, 2012.
      2. If the project is determined by the evaluation team to have the potential to become a LiveSmart Champion, the applicant will be sent an Application package for the Champion Program. Fill out the application form completely and submit it by the deadline noted in the package.

        Please note, submitting an LOI does not guarantee an invitation to apply, nor does submitting an Application guarantee you funding.
           
    • Projects will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
      1. Feasibility – Applicant’s financial capacity to deliver; project’s technical feasibility.
      2. Energy savings – Projected amount of energy saved from all sources (electricity, natural gas, etc.)
      3. Cost effectiveness – Amount of projected energy savings compared to the overall cost of the project
      4. Innovation – Application of new ideas, such as a previously unknown or untried solution, procedure or piece of equipment (only for projects that apply in the innovation category)
      5. Replicability – Project’s suitability to be replicated in other small businesses across B.C.
      6. Benefit to the local community – Proposed outreach, which could include opportunities to speak about the project, and/or the use of BC technologies and expertise.
           
    • To be eligible to apply for the LiveSmart Champion program, your small business must:
      1. Have submitted a Letter of Interest before March 21, 2012 and received an invitation to apply to the Champion Program.
      2. Have a location within B.C. at which the project will be implemented
      3. Be a registered business and have less than 50 employees
      4. Be privately owned and operated*
      5. Have a commercial electrical account
      6. Spend less than $50,000 per year on electricity
      7. Have been in operation in the location where the proposed project will be implemented for a minimum of 2 years**.
           
    • Please note the following:
      • Projects that have started prior to being selected and signing an Agreement with LiveSmart will not be eligible for funding.
      • Non-profit organizations or societies are not eligible for this program.
      • The LSSB Champion Program will award a maximum of 75% of the Project's total value as submitted or $25,000, whichever is less.  Applicants must be able to demonstrate their ability to fund the remainder of the Project.
      • The LiveSmart Champion program funding is available to small businesses in any industry sector, however the Ministry has identified restaurants and food service providers as having significant energy savings opportunities due to their high energy demands.  As such, up to 45% of the total funding may be allocated to the restaurant and food service sector.

* Your small business location may be owned or leased with the exception of premises leased from the Province of B.C.

** LiveSmartBC has expanded the 2 year eligibility criteria in order to allow the following businesses to apply:

  1. Businesses that have changed ownership within the past two years. In this instance the following will apply:
    • The business must have been in existence, in the same location, for at least two years;
    • Businesses must provide an argument to justify the business’s financial stability.  This could include a statement of cash flow, income statement or a statement justifying the business’s financial stability;
    • The business must be able to produce electrical utility billing data for either the past two years, or in the case of a business that was closed for a period of time while changing ownership, the preceding consecutive two year period before closure;
  2. Businesses that have been in operation for less than two years***.  In this instance the following will apply:
    • The business must have been in operation for a minimum of one year and must be able to provide one year’s worth of electrical utility data;
    • The business must provide an argument to justify the business’s financial stability.  This could include a statement of cash flow, income statement or a statement justifying the business’s financial stability.

*** Please note, businesses that have been in operation for less than two years will receive a 5 point deduction in the overall score, as noted in Step 3 of the evaluation process on page 13 of the 2012 Champion Call for Applications.

If you have questions about the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program, contact the LiveSmart BC help desk at 1-866-430-8765.