Canadian government invests in heat pump training
19th August 2024
CANADA: The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) has received CA$500,000 (US$366,000) to help address the country’s heat pump skills gap.
The investment by the Government of Canada will enable the HRAI to conduct a number of initiatives including creating a benchmark of skills and knowledge needed to safely and competently install and service heat pumps. It will also seek to identify the skills gap in the existing workforce, work with colleges to develop training to address the identified gaps and pilot this training with a small group of gas and licensed technicians in Ontario.
“This project will identify specific skills deficiencies and the education the current workforce may need to support today’s – and tomorrow’s – heat pump technologies,” said HRAI vice president, government and stakeholder relations Martin Luymes.
President and CEO Sandy MacLeod added: “At the end of the day, our goal with this project is to enable the creation of training and apprentice supports that will empower the workforce to safely and competently install and service today’s electric heat pumps, to ensure efficient operations, inspire confidence from customers, and minimise service and warranty issues.”
As of 2023, only 7% of Canadian homes are using electric heat pumps as their primary heating system. According to reports, one in four Canadian homeowners plan to replace primary heating systems in the next five years.
