Delivering free smart thermostats so people save energy, money. BC Hydro partners with Canadian clean tech to support energy conservation through Power Smart 2.0. Translations. Translation files are incoming and will be available shortly. News release. Vancouver. Monday, July 6, 2026 1:15 PM Media contacts. Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions. Media Relations [email protected] BC Hydro. Media Relations [email protected] 604-928-6488 Featured topics. Featured services. * Starting Monday, July 6, 2026, BC Hydro customers can register to receive free smart thermostats as part of the Power Smart 2.0 energy conservation plan * BC Hydro has partnered with Canadian companies Mysa and Sinopé to provide free smart thermostats to customers starting fall 2026 * Thermostats will come pre-enrolled in BC Hydro's Peak Saver program, giving customers the opportunity to earn seasonal rewards of $50, or $100 for income-qualified customers, while helping reduce electricity use during peak periods * Making free smart thermostats accessible is part of BC Hydro's Power Smart 2.0 plan, a $1-billion investment over three years to help customers save energy, reduce their bills and support a more efficient electricity system People throughout the province can now register to receive free smart thermostats that will help them reduce their energy use and save money. The free smart thermostat program is part of BC Hydro's Power Smart 2.0 plan, a $1-billion investment over three years to help people save energy and reduce their bills. To ensure funds stay in Canada, BC Hydro has signed agreements with Canadian smart thermostat providers Mysa and Sinopé to deliver free devices to customers. "This free smart thermostat initiative makes it easier for British Columbians to be part of a cleaner, more efficient energy future," said Adrian Dix Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. "By partnering with Canadian companies to deliver practical, cost-saving technology to households, we're helping people take real climate action while saving money at the same time." Making smart technology more accessible Starting Monday, July 6, 2026, customers can visit BC Hydro's webpage to learn more about eligibility and register their email to be notified when the free smart thermostats become available in October 2026. Through the program, residential customers with electric baseboard-heated homes will be able to order as many as five free smart thermostats, manufactured by Mysa and Sinopé, through the companies' online platforms. The devices will include free shipping and will come pre-enrolled in BC Hydro's Peak Saver program, allowing customers to participate once installed. Peak Saver participants receive an annual reward of $50, or $100 for income-qualified customers, in exchange for helping reduce electricity demand during periods of peak system use. For smart thermostats, this may include lowering temperatures by a few degrees for short durations during the winter. Customers can override at any time, ensuring flexibility and control over their home comfort. "Smart thermostats are a simple but powerful way for customers to manage their energy use while helping reduce peak demand across the system," said Charlotte Mitha, president and CEO, BC Hydro. "Not only do they give customers better control and insight into their heating temperature settings and electricity use, they also make earning Peak Saver rewards automatic each year. This program makes it easier for more households to participate, delivering benefits for both customers and the reliability of B.C.'s electricity grid." Helping customers save while reducing peak demand The free smart thermostats (valued at approximately $350 per home) will be offered provincewide, with a focus on electrically heated homes - particularly those using baseboard heating. Approximately 800,000 homes in British Columbia, or more than 40% of all residential households, use electric heating, representing a significant opportunity to reduce peak demand through smart-thermostat adoption. By making smart-home technology more accessible, especially for customers living in condos and apartments who have traditionally had fewer opportunities to participate, the program will help BC Hydro expand its demand-response programs and support a more flexible, efficient electricity system. Through its partnerships with Mysa and Sinopé, BC Hydro aims to enrol an additional 75,000 households in Peak Saver by 2030, building on the nearly 200,000 customers already participating in the program. This will contribute to BC Hydro's broader Power Smart 2.0 target of achieving 800 megawatts of peak capacity savings by fiscal 2030, helping reduce the need for new generation and infrastructure. Powering growth, fuelling opportunities Power Smart 2.0 is part of BC Hydro's Powering Growth strategy that was launched on June 15, 2026. The strategy, a comprehensive plan to power growth, strengthen communities and support long-term economic development, is built on three pillars: * conserving electricity * optimizing existing BC Hydro infrastructure * building new generation and transmission projects The plan builds on the legacy of past investments while preparing the system for the future, ensuring it remains clean, reliable, flexible and ready to support growth for decades to come. Joshua Green, CEO, Mysa Smart Thermostats - "As a Canadian company, Mysa is proud to deepen our partnership with BC Hydro and our broader commitment to energy efficiency across British Columbia. B.C. has long been one of our largest markets and this free thermostat program lets us extend the benefits of smart thermostat technology to even more residents across the province, helping households reduce their energy costs while contributing to grid-level efficiency through the Peak Saver program." Maxime Caron-Labonté, chief commercial officer, Sinopé Technologies - "As a long-time partner of BC Hydro, working to deliver the best energy savings, we are deeply proud to be part of this program, where our newest and most advanced smart baseboard thermostat will be brought to British Columbians for free." George Anderson, parliamentary secretary for energy and climate solutions and MLA for Nanaimo-Lantzville - "With bold new offers like free smart thermostats, Power Smart 2.0 is putting the latest Canadian clean tech in peoples' homes and helping them save energy and save money. As we power economic growth forward with clean electricity, these savings support a more reliable and resilient electricity system for all British Columbians." Quick Fact: * Since 2008, BC Hydro's energy-efficiency programs have helped cut demand by more than 7,500 gigawatt hours per year, which is equivalent to the energy used by more than 750,000 homes. * To learn more about eligibility to receive free smart thermostats, and register to be notified when the offer becomes available in fall 2026, visit: bchydro.com/freethermostats (can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com) * To find out about energy savings under Power Smart 2.0, visit: https://www.bchydro.com/toolbar/about/strategies-plans-regulatory/supply-operations/power-smart-plan.html * To learn more about B.C.'s Powering Growth strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026ECS0030-000705 A backgrounder follows. Backgrounders. Power Smart 2.0 helps people save money, reduce energy use. BC Hydro's Power Smart 2.0 plan is the largest conservation investment in its history - more than $1 billion over three years to help customers save energy and reduce their bills. Making it easier to save energy Power Smart 2.0 introduces a suite of new tools and incentives to make saving energy easier than ever. These include: * free smart thermostats (a $350 value per home) for customers with baseboard heating and a new mobile app launching fall 2026 * instant rebates of $10-$200 at more than 300 stores across B.C. * rewards of up to $200 per year for residential customers, on top of additional bill savings * income-qualified households will have access to enhanced supports, with the potential to earn up to $325 annually * commercial and industrial customers will benefit from expanded funding, covering up to 100% of eligible project costs in some cases By 2030, Power Smart 2.0 is expected to deliver 800 megawatts of capacity savings and 2,200 gigawatt hours of annual energy savings, enough to power 220,000 homes, while avoiding more than $2 billion in avoided or deferred infrastructure costs. BC Hydro's Power Smart investment will help drive economic growth across the province, generating an estimated $1.4 billion in GDP and supporting 3,500 jobs each year. Translation files are incoming and will be available shortly.

Startups in Atlantic Canada raised $176 million in venture capital in 2024, their weakest performance in four years, according to new data from the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.On Wednesday, the organization known as the CVCA released its VC data for 2024 showing the funding for the four East Coast provinces fell 15 percent from the previous year. The one bright spot for the region was that Newfoundland and Labrador booked $81 million in VC funding on nine investment rounds.Nova Scotia was a close second with $79 million on 18 deals. New Brunswick booked $15 million on 15 deals, and Prince Edward Island logged a single VC investment worth $1 million.Source: CVCA“Atlantic Canada saw a decline in total investment, with every province except Newfoundland and Labrador experiencing a reduction of half of the levels observed in 2023,” said the CVCA in the report. “Newfoundland and Labrador was the standout, with investment nearly tripling from 2023, reaching $81M across nine deals, mirroring the levels set in 2021.”The financing deals on The Rock were led by St. John’s-based CoLab Software’s $28 million funding round and a raise of $11 million by Mysa Smart Thermostats.The Atlantic Canadian VC total for the fourth quarter was $23 million. By province, this broke down as two deals worth $12 million in Newfoundland and Labrador; three deals worth $10 million in Nova Scotia, and three deals worth $1 million in New Brunswick.The CVCA figures, published in 2024 Venture Capital Market Overview, include only year-to-date totals, not quarterly numbers