Wood Stove Exchange Program

The District of Vanderhoof Wood Stove Exchange Program March 1 - April 30, 2022

Click here for information on Burn it Smart Workshop February 28th

The provincial Woodstove Exchange is a program designed to encourage British Columbians to change out their older smoky woodstoves for low emission appliances including new CSA/EPA-certified clean burning stoves. This year, 13 communities and regions have received funding to run a community-based program, which includes incentives for residents and opportunities for public education about the benefits of „Burning Smart‟. The District of Vanderhoof is one of the communities that has received grant monies to run the pro-gram within municipal boundaries.

The objectives of the Wood Stove Exchange Program are to:

  1. Improve the air quality in our area by lowering wood smoke emissions;
  2. Encourage homeowners to trade in old inefficient wood stoves for something cleaner burning by of-fering a financial incentive. It does not have to be a wood for wood exchange.
  3. Educate the public about clean, safe wood burning habits through „Burn It Smart‟ workshops and/or showroom demonstrations;
  4. Explain what “EPA Certified” (CSA B415) means and how it affects all of us;
  5. Educate local governments, environmentalists, inspectors, insurance people and fire departments of the benefits of clean burning in an EPA appliance;
  6. Generate some “off-season” sales for retailers, while displacing some of the myths and misinforma-tion regarding wood stoves.

How the Program Works

  1. The program will run from March 1, 2022 through to April 30, 2022 with no exceptions or extensions.
  2. Residents living within the District of Vanderhoof municipal boundaries will be offered a trade-in al-lowance on their old smoke belcher to upgrade to a cleaner burning appliance.
  3. Local retailers have been asked to participate in the program.
  4. The retail trade-in allowance (discount) will be $150 off the suggested retail price. 5. The provincial government will provide a rebate of $250 to the consumer. This rebate will be administered by the District of Vanderhoof through the Municipal Office. In addition, the District of Vanderhoof will waive the permit fee of $100, which is required for the installation of a wood burning appliance.

HERE’S A LIST OF ORIGINAL APPLIANCES that can be CHANGED-OUT under this program

  1. A free-standing non-EPA certified “stove”; a “homemade” or „barrel‟ stove;
  2. A so-called “airtight” non-EPA certified fireplace insert, or tube type heat exchanger with a face plate and door (like the „Free Heat Machine‟ or Welenco) that is currently installed in an open hearth fire-place;
  3. A non-EPA certified “wood furnace” (ducted, forced air, home heating appliance) - may only be re-placed by an EPA certified wood furnace or Pellet furnace.
  4. A wood-burning cook stove.

HERE’S A LIST OF WHAT QUALIFIES to REPLACE the non-EPA wood-burning appliances above

  1. An EPA certified wood stove, a pellet stove, a high efficiency gas stove/fireplace, or an electric stove
  2. An EPA certified wood insert, a pellet insert, a high efficiency gas insert, or an electric insert
  3. Pellet, Gas and Electric stoves and inserts. It does not have to be a wood stove for wood stove change.
  4. An EPA certified factory-built fireplace - may only be accepted if it is replacing a NON EPA certified WOOD STOVE OR NON EPA certified WOOD INSERT (not an existing factory built fireplace).

HERE’S A LIST OF WHAT DOES NOT QUALIFY as a Replacement Appliance
(Program funding will not be provided to install these appliances.)

  1. A new insert to an existing open hearth fireplace that does NOT currently have an insert installed in it. An exchange of an existing wood appliance must take place.
  2. # Factory built (“zero clearance”) fireplaces
  3. Wood cook stoves - Cook stoves are EPA exempt therefore are not covered by this program. They may be replaced by an EPA certified stove or other “non cooking” product within the qualification list above.
  4. Outdoor appliances (replacement unit must be installed in an area with 4 walls, ceiling and a door)
  5. Tin heaters/tent stoves - something NOT used in a residential application.

Watch for more information and further advertising of the program in the local newspaper. The District of Vanderhoof invites all residents who are interested in a „woodstove exchange‟ to upgrade their home heat-ing unit to a CSA/EPA certified appliance, to contact the Municipal Office at 567-4711 for more information. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us.

There is no better time to begin burning smart‟! Check it out today and get in on the great savings while they last!

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