Clean the air,changeout your woodstove

A woodstove changeout program is a program initiated at the municipal, provincial or national level that provides incentives to positively impact air quality and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

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Benefits of Modern Stoves -Not your grandparents’ cord wood-guzzler.

There is a vast difference in performance between old model wood stoves and modern, certified wood-burning appliances.

*Modern wood stoves emit up to 95% less emissions than out-of-date models and use 35-50% less wood.

*Reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions means cleaner air for communities and will help provincial and federal governments reach carbon targets.

*New certified clean burning wood stoves require >30-50 less wood than older stoves to generate the same amount of heat. This means less wood needs to be cut, split, stored and carried to review the same benefits.

Services that we provide

  • Customized wood heat and wood stove changeout program communication and media plans
  • Planning and conducting program launch events
  • Design and manage competitive wood heat changeout supplier Requests for Proposals (RFP’s)
  • Issues Management
  • Writing and distribution of media releases
  • Outreach Campaigns
  • Development and production wood heat and changeout education material

Current and past changeout programs

Wood stove changeout programs (sometimes called exchange programs) have been active in North America for more than ten years. In many cases, local users have benefitted from financial incentives and educational programming, leading to reduced emissions for the community.

British Columbia - British Columbia has the most robust, longest-running program in Canada.

More than 45 municipal partners have been involved, as well as 20 regional districts.

Since 2008, more than 7000 stoves have been exchanged. That’s an annual reduction of approximately 400 tonnes of particulate matter.

Many communities have embraced the program and contributed additional funds of their own. This has led to increased effectiveness.

Ontario – Implementing a wood stove exchange program was part of the 2016 Ontario Climate Change Action Plan. The GreenON monies generated through the Cap and Trade program flowed earlier in 2017 and late winter 2018. The program was curtailed last week.

The 195 wood stove and related supplies for safe WETT certified installations are in the final stage of completion in the six fly-in Nishnawbe Aski Nation (Fort Hope, Deer Lake, Sandy Lake, Poplar Hill, Wunnumin Lake and Weagamow) communities. All the units were transported in over the ice-roads before the spring thaw.

Wiikwemikoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island, and the communities of Wawa and Sioux Lookout were also participating in the program until it was canceled by the new incoming provincial government.

Quebec – More than 4500 old wood stoves were exchanged in Quebec from 2012-2013. Goals of the program included a reduction in the number of winter smog days and a reduction in health care costs related to poor air quality.

New Brunswick – In 2016, the province of New Brunswick ran a changeout program, offering $250 to eligible users. The program was a partnership with the Lung Association.

Nova Scotia – Nova Scotia currently offers rebates and financing so that residents can switch from electric heat to wood heat.

Wood Heat Advocacy in Vermont

State of Vermont recently released a five year plan with the goal of achieving ‘35% of the state’s’ heating needs through wood heat. They estimate annual savings of $120 million and a 40 million gallon reduction in fossil fuel use. There is already an established logging industry in the state and companies producing wood pellets. Wood heat also keeps money in the state – 78 cents from every dollar spent on imported fossil fuels leaves the state. The installation of more wood heating systems across the state could lower fuel costs for households, businesses and public services, as well as create jobs in rural communities.

Latest News

Changeout News

Stove here! Get your new stove here!
For the fourth year in a row, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality is offering to replace qualifying old wood stoves in the West Silver Valley. IDEQ announced recently that the application period for the 2020 woodstove changeout program will be open from Oct. 1 through Dec. 30.

Sep 27, 2019

‘Did It Work?’: Vermont’s Wood Stove Change-Out Program
Two years ago, the state offered Vermonters money to buy a new wood or pellet stove if they got rid of an old, polluting stove. The program was so popular, they decided to do it again this year (with a few changes). So how many people have taken advantage of these different iterations of the wood stove change-out program?

May 17, 2019

Help rid N.L. of old, inefficient wood stoves, group asks province
There's nothing like the warmth of a wood stove in the depths of a Newfoundland and Labrador winter, but a group of advocates say a little government money could go a long way to getting more people using more efficient, environmentally friendly models. A wood stove change-out program is simple, said Peter Parsons, who owns the fireplace and stove store The Tin Man in Corner Brook. People bring in their old stoves to be recycled, buy a new efficient one, and receive a government rebate for doing so.

Feb 18, 2019

Heat with wood? Get a voucher to replace old wood stove
Haywood County has been chosen as a pilot community for a program that underwrites the cost of replacing old wood burning stoves in people’s homes. Homeowners in Haywood County who use wood stoves to heat their homes can get a subsidy to cover the cost of replacing old stoves with a new, more-efficient, cleaner-burning version — or changing over completely to a non-wood heat source.

Jul 26, 2018

Get paid to replace your wood-burning stove or fireplace in SLO County
The SLO County Air Pollution Control District is accepting applications now to receive up to $4,000 to update fireplaces and stoves with new, cleaner burning devices like EPA-certified wood stoves or natural gas or propane heating devices.

Jul 11, 2018

YRCAA working to replace harmful wood burning devices in Yakima County homes
YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. - People who use wood stoves or wood heating devices made before 1994 may qualify for a replacement. The Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency (YRCAA) has been awarded $550,000 for efforts to reduce smoke within its jurisdictional area. The agency announced Tuesday the Woodstove Change Out Program has begun as of June 1 and will run until June 30 of next year, or until funds run out.

Jul 11, 2018

Northern Communities Want Wood Heat Program Revived
The Doug Ford government is being asked to reverse its decision to end the Wood Heat Pilot Program. Sioux Lookout and Wawa are both speaking out against the move as they relied on the program to help residents who don't have access to natural gas.

Jul 09, 2018

Manitoulin First Nation wants provincial wood heating program restored
A Manitoulin Island First Nation leader said he’ll work with other Northern Ontario communities in lobbying for a reinstatement of a residential wood heating incentive program, recently axed by the new Ford government.

Jul 05, 2018

Ontario pulls plug on Wood Heat Rebate Program and pilot projects
On May 2, 2018, the Ontario government announced that the Province’s Carbon Market Funding was funding four new Wood Heat Pilot Programs.

Jun 27, 2018

Killing provincial green funding program hurts biomass heating opportunities
Northern Ontario’s bio-economy prospects have been dealt a hit with the incoming Ford government’s pre-emptive strike to kill a multitude of provincial cap-and-trade programs.

Jun 27, 2018

Replace that stove – Butte County Air Quality Management District offers $1,000-$3,500 vouchers to families
The Butte County Air Quality Management District is giving out vouchers that will help families replace outdated wood-burning stoves serving as their primary source of heat with an EPA-certified wood stove or insert or a natural gas, propane or electric heater.

May 28, 2018

Province offers help with heating
Sioux Lookout, Hudson and Frenchman's Head will be part of a new pilot project. The province is looking into supporting energy-efficient wood heat, in areas where natural gas isn't offered.

May 28, 2018

Wawa EDC Holds Open House to Launch ‘Wawa Wood Heat Rebate Program’
Last week the EDC of Wawa held an Open House to launch the province’s new Wood Heat Pilot Program. The Ontario government will use proceeds from the Ontario Carbon Market to fund four new programs for communities without access to natural gas that relies on a mix of wood, propane, fuel oil and diesel-generated electricity to heat homes and other buildings.

May 03, 2018

Ontario Helping Northern, Rural and Indigenous Communities Save on Heating Costs, Fight Climate Change
Ontario is helping people in northern, rural and Indigenous communities save on energy costs, fight climate change and improve air quality by reducing the use of greenhouse gas-intensive fuel sources and old, inefficient wood stoves.

May 02, 2018

Massachusetts announces funding for woodstove rebate program
The Massachusetts government has announced $450,000 in funding for the 2018 Commonwealth Woodstove Change-out Program, which provides rebates to homeowners two replace older, inefficient woodstoves with cleaner, EPA-certified wood and pellet stoves that use less fuel and reduce energy costs.

Mar 28, 2018

Hutterite colony takes a step into the future with biofuel
The Vermillion Hutterite Colony southwest of Winnipeg is no longer relying on coal to heat its buildings, because they are now relying on renewable bio-heat.

Mar 27, 2018

State kicks off campaign to replace wood stoves
SEEKONK — Wood stoves are a way for home and business owners to assert their energy independence by using wood pellets or logs as an alternative heating fuel. But many of those stoves were early models designed in the 1970s and ‘80s and lack the energy efficiency and cleaner burning capabilities of later models.

Mar 26, 2018

Duke Energy funding N.C. wood stove changeout program to improve air quality
CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy is committing $500,000 to help fund an American Lung Association program targeting high-emitting wood stoves in North Carolina – replacing them with cleaner, more efficient models.

Mar 15, 2018

Changeout Your Wood-Burning Fireplace: Funds Available
BAY AREA, CA – Bay Area residents in areas highly affected by wood smoke and air pollution now can get funds to replace their wood-burning fireplaces or stoves with cleaner heating options, air quality officials said.

Jan 12, 2018

City of Courtenay examining wood stove rules
COURTENAY, B.C. – The City of Courtenay will be taking a look at the use of wood stoves for home heating in the city. During Monday night’s council meeting, Mayor Larry Jangula brought a motion aimed at offering residents an incentive to improve their wood stoves, due to their impact on air in the city.

Dec 20, 2017

Coalition Releases 5-Year Plan to Bolster Local, Renewable Wood Heating
Waterbury Center, VT – On Thursday, November 2nd, a coalition of nonprofits, local businesses, and state agencies facilitated by Renewable Energy Vermont unveiled a plan of policy, workforce development, and outreach recommendations to help lower energy costs, boost Vermont’s economy, sustain forestlands, and reduce net carbon emissions.

Nov 15, 2017

Wood stove change-out program may end soon
RENO, Nev (KOLO) Wood, pellet, and gas burning stoves are inviting AND pretty to look at, and they generate plenty of heat. They also put fewer particulates into the air than other stoves.

Nov 08, 2017

Wood stove replacement program benefits environment, industry says
Ontario's action plan on climate change is expected to include a program that would help rural residents swap out older wood stoves and replace them with a more efficient model.

Jun 08, 2016

Wood Heat News

Project to heat N.S. public buildings with wood delayed by a year
It will be another year before the Nova Scotia government begins a project to heat some of its buildings using wood. The use of district heating is a suggestion from the Lahey report on forestry practices and intended to help diversify markets for low-grade wood.

Oct 10, 2019

EIA: 2 million households to heat with wood this winter
The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that nearly 2 million, or approximately 2 percent, U.S. households will use cord wood or wood pellets as a primary residential space heating fuel for the 2019-’20 winter.

Oct 09, 2019

Information session teaches how to burn with less smoke
A free information session on wood-burning appliances is happening later this week. With the arrival of cooler weather, more people are turning to wood heat for warmth and the Campbell River Fire Department is teaming with Guardian Services to provide the workshop. It will focus both on wood-burning appliances and the benefits of new technology and more efficient stoves.

Oct 07, 2019

Campbell River wants residents to learn to burn with less smoke
With cooler fall weather and many people turning to wood heat for warmth, the Campbell River Fire Department has teamed up with Guardian Services to provide a free information session on wood burning appliances and the benefits of new technology and more efficient stoves.

Oct 07, 2019

DOE awards $3 million for R&D to wood stove manufacturers
The U.S. Department of Energy selected two companies—MF Fire and ISB Marketing—to receive $3 million for research and development (R&D) on smart, automated wood stoves through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The DOE had $5 million for stove and boiler manufacturers but decided to only award $3 million this year for wood and pellet heaters.

Oct 04, 2019

Wood-burning stove v open fire — which is best?
Nothing beats the sound or smell of an open fire with its dancing flames, but it is not an effective way to heat a room. Wood-burning stoves are more efficient and cleaner, too. If you do not have a lot of space, they really are a very good alternative to a real fire.

Oct 04, 2019

Letter to the Editor – Protecting clean air is important
The recent Global Climate Strike has highlighted the importance of a healthy environment and the interconnections between climate, air quality and public health. Hopefully, here in Lethbridge, the movement toward continued positive change can include all residents having equal access to clean, healthy, smoke-free air throughout the upcoming winter, as more people choose cleaner alternatives to wood burning, including natural gas, while appreciating progress being made toward the use and availability of even cleaner, non-combustible energy sources.

Oct 03, 2019

Ont. to use carbon market funding for wood heating projects
The provincial government says funding from Ontario's participation in the carbon market is being used on four new wood heat pilot programs.

May 28, 2018

Wood heating program could jumpstart North’s bio-economy
It’s an incentive program for residents and commercial property owners to switch out their inefficient wood stoves and heating systems for newer, cleaner burning wood technologies.

May 28, 2018

Experts discuss benefits of North Carolina Woodstove Changeout Program
The American Lung Association recently held a teleconference discussing the North Carolina Woodstove Changeout Program. The program works to improve indoor and outdoor air quality by removing old, high polluting, low efficiency wood stoves and qualified fireplaces by replacing them with cleaner burning, more efficient EPA-certified woodstoves and hydronic heaters or heat pumps.

May 15, 2018

Warmed by wood (the high-tech way)
Electrical engineers Mike Elmergreen and his wife Sue Dorscheid are warm and cozy in their big new home in the Town of Belgium, using an old-fashioned fuel in a state-of-the-art hot water heating system

Apr 18, 2018

Scott Administration Proposes Draining Clean Energy Fund
Gov. Phil Scott’s administration is proposing a budget cut that would stymie a program dedicated to developing Vermont’s renewable energy economy.

Apr 12, 2018

Sugarmaker finds sweet spot with wood pellet evaporator
Vermont Business Magazine The sap is flowing all over Vermont this month and sugarmakers are firing up their evaporators to create that liquid gold, maple syrup.

Mar 06, 2018

A Wood Heat State of Mind
Commonly associated with rocketing skyscrapers and the Manhattan Skyline, bustling city life, the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and many other tourist attractions and landmarks, there is much more to New York than its metropolitan area.

Mar 06, 2018

City of Yellowknife wins sustainability award for wood pellet heating system
Even before it's up and running, the City of Yellowknife has won a sustainability award for its plan to reduce the city's emissions with new wood pellet boilers.

Feb 07, 2018

Firewood supplies boast the benefits of wood heat
In an era where many people have switched to using heat pumps and places like Montreal have placed restrictions on the use of wood stoves and fireplaces that emit above a certain limit of particulate, Friesen said that wood burning remains a popular form of heat in Nova Scotia.

Jan 04, 2018

Wood-burning deadline turns up the heat on Montreal’s fireplace owners
The main thrust of Montreal’s wood-burning bylaw is set to kick in later this year, and the question is: will it work to reduce air pollution or was it just a public relations exercise?

Jan 04, 2018

Climate crusaders are close to banning something that can save your family’s life
The power has suddenly gone out. Are you ready for an emergency?

Dec 19, 2017

Modern Wood Heat Changeout is a program of ECO Strategy

ECO Strategy has thirty years of media relations experience with programs relevant to remote and rural areas of Canada. We are experienced with many energy efficiency and conservation incentive province-wide programs - including Save ON Energy and Refrigerator Roundup.

  • Successfully lobbied to have the wood stove changeout pilot program written into the Ontario Climate Change Action Plan
  • Part of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) team that transported wood stoves into remote ice road access First Nation communities in late winter 2018
  • Long affiliated with the HPBAC (wood heat trade association)
  • Designed and delivered the first HPBAC Government Affairs Academy in Ottawa - to be repeated in Spring 2018
  • Extensive experience in dealing with environmental and energy issues in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Eastern Canada
  • Involved in Conserve the Light program which resulted in the delivery of a sophisticated energy conservation kit to every on-reserve First Nation address in Ontario
  • Ran award-winning Conservation and Demand (CDM) program for BOMA Toronto. Program was selected for ‘Associations Make a Better Canada’ award by the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) and Energy Project of the Year Award by Association of Energy Engineers

For more information, please visit www.ecostrategy.ca

For more information on wood stove changeout programs, please visit HPBAC, Canada’s Heath, Patio and Barbeque trade association.