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For Release September 22, 2020
Vancouver, BC – The British Columbia government’s CleanBC program and both large utilities have come together to support Empower Me, Canada’s energy efficiency program specifically designed for and delivered by diverse communities.
Empower Me is a free education and energy conservation program that helps British Columbia’s tight knit, multilingual and multicultural communities save energy and make their homes more comfortable and safe. The program is Canada’s only equity-based energy efficiency and education program designed specifically to support communities typically missed in the design of climate focused programs. Empower Me is delivered in language, in communities, in a culturally appropriate way, and hires Mentors from the communities it serves, creating both employment and a trusted bridge for communication.
Participants can realize energy savings through multilingual education, information on energy conservation programs, and recommendations for energy efficiency upgrades. This year the Empower Me program added online education workshops to help participants during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FortisBC is a founding partner and has been with the program since its inception in 2012. BC Hydro is a participating sponsor since 2018.
“BC is a diverse province and becomes more so every day. Statistically we know that members of multilingual and multicultural communities have very low participation in energy efficiency programs due to language, trust, and other barriers. The Empower Me program helps to ensure that important utility and energy efficiency information is successfully delivered to our diverse communities.” said Yasmin Abraham, Managing Director and co-founder of Empower Me.
The Empower Me program is inclusive and available to everyone; however services are targeted to multicultural and multilingual residents. The program launched in BC in 2012 and has helped more than three million British Columbians access important energy saving information and programs since then. The Empower Me program is also active in Alberta. For more information, please visit www.empowerme.ca
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About Empower Me:
Empower Me is an energy conservation and behaviour change program aimed at members of diverse, multilingual communities. It is a peer-to-peer program, delivered in communities, and in language. Empower Me helps participants understand energy bills and choices, save energy, save money, and increase the comfort and safety of their homes.
www.empowerme.ca | @EmpowerMeBC
Media Enquiries:
Interview opportunities with Yasmin Abraham, Managing Director and co-founder of Empower Me, are available upon request.
Media Assets:
Headshots, logos and info sheets are available here.
Media Contact:
For more information, please contact:
Sara Wasiuta
Marketing & Communications Manager
