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New Investments to Help Yukoners Reduce Energy Costs and Stay Warm

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WHITEHORSE, YT, Dec. 19, 2024 /CNW/ – Yukon residents know how to live with Arctic outdoor temperatures, but indoors they need good heating systems to live comfortably and affordably in extreme weather.

Today, Member of Parliament Brendan Hanley,  on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson and the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, announced a federal investment of $1.4 million from the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program (OHPA) and approximately $287,000 from Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Fund (LCEF) to support climate action in the Yukon and help low-to-median-income homeowners reduce their energy costs. He was joined by John Streicker, Yukon Minister for Energy, Mines and Resources, who announced an additional $700,000 in territorial funding toward this initiative.

As part of the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program, low- and median-income Yukon homeowners could receive a rebate of up to $24,000 plus an upfront payment of $250 to add high-efficiency heat pumps in homes currently heated with oil. Low- to median-income Yukon residents who own homes heated with other energy types such as propane, wood or electric baseboards could also be eligible for cold-climate heat pump rebates funded by the Yukon Government and the LCEF.

The federal government also has OHPA program co-delivery arrangements in place with British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Active discussions are underway with other provinces and territories to deliver new, strengthened OHPA co-delivery agreements to make heat pumps even more affordable for Canadians across the country. In jurisdictions without co-delivery arrangements, oil-heated households can continue to apply to the national program to receive up to $10,000 in federal OHPA funding for switching to electric heat pumps.

Together, we can take steps to reduce energy usage and bills, help Canadians maintain safe and comfortable indoor temperatures, reduce their carbon emissions and help to protect our homes from the increasingly harmful effects of climate change — all while creating good-paying, sustainable jobs.

Quotes

“Making the switch to more energy-efficient heating systems can help Canadians save thousands on their energy bills, reduce their energy use and decrease their carbon footprint. That’s why we are strengthening the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program and ensuring that families in the Yukon are supported in making the switch from heating oil to an efficient heat pump.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

“Yukoners face some of the coldest temperatures in Canada and need reliable, affordable heating systems to stay warm. This is now truer than ever as climate change is making our weather increasingly unpredictable. Heat pumps are an efficient way to heat homes while reducing emissions, protecting the environment and helping Canadians save on their utility bills. That’s why we are investing in programs like this that support the transition and get us closer to our emission reduction goals.”

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“Transitioning to energy-efficient heating systems offers Canadians and Yukoners the opportunity to save money on more-efficient home energy systems. The Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program will ensure that families in the Yukon receive the necessary support to switch from heating oil to efficient heat pumps, which will benefit local installers and businesses while also helping ease northern Canada’s pathway to home heating that is less expensive and more environmentally friendly.”

Brendan Hanley
Member of Parliament for Yukon

“Our government believes that we can save money and our planet at the same time. Through Our Clean Future, our government committed to helping Yukoners transition from fossil fuels to smart electric heating systems like heat pumps. I’m pleased that these new investments will help make life more affordable for Yukoners while reducing our territory’s greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Honourable John Streicker
Yukon Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources

Quick facts

The Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program was first introduced in November 2022 as a $250-million investment in a new stream within the Canada Greener Homes Initiative. On February 22, 2023, the program was opened to pre-registration and was fully launched in late March 2023, with the first grants being issued shortly thereafter.Introduced in October 2023, the federal government announced working with provinces and territories on co-delivery agreements including:A strengthened OHPA program that will partner with provinces and territories to increase federal funding eligible homeowners can receive for installing a heat pump from up to $10,000 to up to $15,000, where up to $5,000 matches supplementary provincial and territorial contributions via co-delivery arrangements.An upfront payment of $250 for eligible applicants through the Canada Heat Pump Bonus.The Low Carbon Economy Fund supports provincial and territorial initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This can include support for households to switch from oil or natural gas to heat pumps and increase energy efficiency in their homes.Heat pumps are one of the best ways for homeowners to save money on energy bills and fight climate change. They are also two to three times more efficient than other electric home heating sources. This results in greater savings for homeowners and reduced energy intake for utilities and grids.Every year, on average, a household participating in the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program saves $1,337 on energy costs and achieves 2.78 tonnes in greenhouse gas reductions.The Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program has received approximately 287,000 applications to date nationally.Under Budget 2024, the Government of Canada is taking numerous steps to make life more affordable for Canadians while addressing climate change. This includes the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program, which will support the direct installation of energy efficiency retrofits for Canadian households with low to median incomes.

Related Information

Yukon: Rebates on Your Home Heating SystemOil to Heat Pump Affordability programLow Carbon Economy FundCanada Greener Homes InitiativeCanada Greener Homes Affordability ProgramCanada Green Buildings StrategyElectric Heat Pumps

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

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One Country, Countless Journeys: Wego and the German National Tourist Office GCC (GNTO GCC) Inspire MENA Travellers to Discover Germany

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DUBAI, UAE, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Wego, the number 1 travel app and the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has announced a strategic partnership with the German National Tourist Office GCC (GNTO GCC) to bring Germany’s distinctive character closer to travelers across the region, presenting a country where historic landmarks, regional traditions, creative cities, and striking natural scenery form part of the same journey.

Germany’s appeal lies in the contrasts travelers encounter from one destination to the next. A visit may begin among Berlin’s museums, contemporary neighborhoods, and architectural landmarks before continuing to Bavaria’s traditional towns and Alpine scenery. Elsewhere, Hamburg’s waterfront atmosphere, Cologne’s historic character, and Heidelberg’s picturesque setting reveal entirely different sides of the country.

The campaign which runs under the slogan ‘Germany – Simply inspiring’ will invite travelers to experience Germany through routes and journeys rather than individual attractions. Visitors can follow the Rhine past vineyards, riverside communities, and hilltop castles, travel through the wooded landscapes of the Black Forest, or explore historic towns where local traditions remain part of everyday life. Museums, design, music, architecture, and regional cuisine add further depth to each itinerary, connecting Germany’s past with its evolving cultural identity.

Speaking about the collaboration, Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer at Wego, said: “Travellers from the MENA region are increasingly looking for destinations that offer depth, variety, and the opportunity to enjoy different experiences within a single trip. Germany stands out by bringing together vibrant cities, rich cultural heritage, scenic landscapes, and distinctive regional experiences, making it an ideal destination for every type of traveller. Through our partnership with the German National Tourist Office GCC (GNTO GCC), we look forward to inspiring more travellers to discover Germany beyond its iconic landmarks and experience the diversity that makes every journey unique.”

Outdoor experiences will also play an important role in the campaign. From hiking and cycling to lake retreats, mountain escapes, and countryside journeys, Germany gives travelers the opportunity to move easily between urban exploration and nature. Its connected cities and regions allow visitors to create varied itineraries that may combine culture, relaxation, family experiences, shopping, and scenic discovery within one trip.

Yamina Sofo, Director of sales and marketing at the German National Tourist Office GCC (GNTO GCC), said: “Germany’s identity is shaped by the connection between heritage and modern life. Visitors can encounter centuries of history, vibrant cultural scenes, distinctive regional traditions, and varied natural landscapes as they travel across the country. Working with Wego gives us an opportunity to share these stories with more travelers from the GCC region and encourage them to experience Germany from different perspectives.”

The partnership will bring Germany’s regions and travel experiences to GCC audiences through editorial content, destination features, and practical trip-planning inspiration. By highlighting the country through its contrasts, local stories, and connected journeys, Wego and the German National Tourist Office GCC (GNTO GCC) aim to encourage travelers to see Germany not as a single experience, but as a destination that reveals something different at every stop.

About Wego

Wego is the number one travel app and the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Combining a dynamic travel marketplace with on-platform bookings, Wego enables travelers to easily search, compare, and book flights and hotels across hundreds of airlines, hotels, and online travel agencies. Beyond its B2C marketplace, Wego also operates WegoPro, a next-generation business travel platform, and WegoBeds, a MENA-focused bedbank. The company is dual-headquartered in Singapore and Dubai with offices in Bangalore and Mumbai.

For more information, visit www.wego.com

About the GNTB

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) works on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy to represent Germany as a tourist destination and is funded by the Ministry in accordance with a decision taken by the German Bundestag. As the central organisation for promoting inbound tourism to Germany, the GNTB works closely with the German travel industry and private-sector partners and trade associations to develop strategies and marketing campaigns that promote Germany’s positive image abroad as a travel destination and encourage tourists to visit the country. The aim is to unlock future commercial potential and thus add value to the German economy by attracting international visitors to Germany.

The GNTB’s primary strategic areas of action are:

Targeted market research and detailed analysis of global travel trends and market-specific customer demandSupporting the German travel industry, which is dominated by small and medium-sized businesses, by sharing expertise and connecting German providers with the international travel trade.Raising awareness of the Destination Germany brand and enhancing the brand profile with a focus on digital transformation.

The ‘Germany. Simply inspiring’ brand profile represents a high-quality and service-oriented, travel destination in the market.

From its head office in Frankfurt, the GNTB manages 22 foreign representative offices in established and in high-potential source markets.

Follow GNTO’s accounts on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/germanytourismar/
https://www.facebook.com/germanytourismar/

 

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Jonah Launches its New Blog Builder Product Designed to Amplify GEO Strategies in Multifamily.

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WESTLAKE, Texas, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Jonah, the leading provider of premium, fully integrated websites for the multifamily industry, launches its new Blog Builder product, a comprehensive blogging environment designed to amplify GEO strategies in multifamily.

Jonah, in response to the evolving AI generative results landscape and through their observation of the success of blog content for GEO enhancements, developed its Blog Builder product.

AI-generated results often surface highly specific content that directly answers the user’s search query. Because of their unique ability to present relevant and timely content that users are searching for, blogs are an ideal format for this content and are sourced more often in these generated results.

Jonah’s Blog Builder product was created to turn their client’s custom content into a GEO strategy. It is intended to be best understood by AI search engines, simple for clients to operate, and engaging for the prospective renter.

Blog Builder by Jonah is structured with standard Schema.org blog architecture in its backend to ensure the client’s content has the best opportunities to be read, understood, and surfaced by AI search engines. This gives clients the assurance that AI can understand their specific content automatically.

The blogging environment in itself is a highly tailored solution featuring categories and unlimited tagging with dedicated subpages for each, delivering additional searchable sources from one piece of content. These features, in addition to the schema, were developed to create a deeper environment for hosting this blog content, driving more surfacing power with less effort for the client.

The pagination, publishing details, and search features give the end user an engaging experience and the client full control over their content. The Blog Builder pulls from the property website’s distinct branding, bringing cohesion to the entire environment.

Multifamily clients can create unlimited posts with tailored tags, categories, and details in this comprehensive blogging environment, turning their custom content into GEO strategy, all with the power of Jonah’s Blog Builder.

About Jonah
Jonah builds beautiful, powerful, fully integrated websites exclusively for multifamily. Our industry-leading technology is designed to make your job easier and your properties more profitable. With the best shopping experience in multifamily, Jonah helps your portfolio generate more leads and drive more leases. Learn more about our property websites.

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SOURCE Jonah®

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China Southern Power Grid Showcases AI Innovations at World AI Conference

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SHANGHAI, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — China Southern Power Grid (CSG) showcased its latest AI-powered power systems and technologies integrating electricity, carbon and computing at the 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai.

Among the highlights was MegaWatt Yunrui, an AI-native distribution network planning agent developed by CSG. In a live demonstration, the system automatically generated a comprehensive distribution network planning report — including risk assessment and grid topology recommendations — in just 10 minutes. The solution was named one of the conference’s Top 10 Signature Exhibits, becoming the only project from a central state-owned enterprise to receive the distinction.

This year, coordination between computing infrastructure and power systems was included in China’s Government Work Report for the first time. As CSG works toward becoming a global leader in electricity, carbon and computing coordination, the company has focused on building a fully proprietary end-to-end technology stack encompassing power-sector foundation models, intelligent robots and digital infrastructure. Among the exhibits were several technologies that the company described as domestic firsts and internationally advanced.

“We have integrated three systems that traditionally operated independently — electricity, carbon and computing — to establish China’s first industry-level electricity-carbon-computing coordination platform,” the company said. Built on the digital power grid, CSG has created a technology architecture spanning computing infrastructure, power-sector foundation models, AI agents and field devices. This end-to-end ecosystem supports the digital transformation of next-generation power grids through intelligent operations and coordinated capabilities across every layer.

At the core of the platform is MegaWatt Multimodal 2.0, a foundation model purpose-built for the power sector. At the application layer, MegaWatt Yunrui serves as an AI-native distribution network planning agent developed to support national energy security and the buildout of next-generation power systems. The company also introduced a range of digital infrastructure innovations, including PowerAtomOS, a proprietary unified operating system for power-sector IoT devices. Designed to provide centralized connectivity and management for hundreds of millions of connected devices, PowerAtomOS supports critical power equipment across virtually every operational scenario within CSG’s service area.

CSG said its strategy extends beyond deploying AI applications to building the technological foundation for the next generation of intelligent power systems.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-southern-power-grid-showcases-ai-innovations-at-world-ai-conference-302831636.html

SOURCE China Southern Power Grid

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