(DRAFT) BUSINESS CASE FOR A MADE IN BC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR TRANSITIONING TO HEAT PUMPS IN LOW-RISE MURBS
This is a draft business plan and presentation outlining a proposed Made-in-B.C. strategy to scale heat pump retrofits in low-rise multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs).
Low-rise MURBs house many of B.C.’s most climate-vulnerable residents and are increasingly exposed to extreme heat and cold. While heat pumps offer a more efficient and lower-cost alternative to fossil fuel heating and electric baseboards, adoption in these buildings has remained limited. The core barrier is not technology, but access to affordable, low-interest financing—compounded by rising costs, deferred maintenance, and tenant affordability pressures.
This draft proposal frames the challenge as a market failure with system-level consequences. Without intervention, reliance on inefficient cooling will increase strain on the electricity grid, worsen health outcomes, and drive higher public costs across healthcare, housing, and climate adaptation.
These documents are shared to support transparency and ongoing engagement. Content is subject to refinement as the proposal advances.