Econext, in partnership with the City of St. John's, launched Make the Shift in September 2025. The program connects homeowners with Home Energy Navigators who provide free, personalized guidance on energy efficiency upgrades. Whether it’s insulation, draft sealing, windows, or installing a heat pump, the program helps residents understand their options, access grants, and secure low-interest financing through the Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union.

Led by econext with support from the City of St. John’s, and funded through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund, the program makes it easier and more affordable to improve home comfort, lower utility bills, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Getting started is simple:

• Subsidized energy audits are available for just $99 (limited time, 80% off the regular cost).

• Residents can book an audit or connect with a Home Energy Navigator by visiting maketheshiftnl.ca, calling 709-979-0362, or emailing hello@maketheshiftnl.ca.

The Shift Program is open to all homeowners in the City of St. John’s.

The City is implementing infrastructure upgrades at 17 facilities, replacing outdated assets, addressing deferred maintenance, and modernizing the building portfolio. Measures include LED lighting retrofits, air infiltration mitigation, recommissioning building systems, fuel switching from oil to electric boilers, expanding controls, implementing a continuous commissioning tool, and adding heat recovery in MUAs.

These upgrades will achieve $517,914 in annual energy and maintenance savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,118 tonnes CO₂e each year, an 11% direct reduction from the 2018 corporate baseline. This is equivalent to removing 124 homes from oil heating while adding the electricity load of only 26 homes. Together with other building improvements and a low-carbon electricity grid, this project puts the City on track to achieve over 70% of its 2030 corporate climate target by 2025.

Currently, construction is nearing completion and system commissioning is underway, with monitoring of savings to begin once work is complete.

This project will remove the existing oil boiler plant and end-of-life hydronic heating system at 245 Freshwater Road and replace them with rooftop heat pumps and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) units. This upgrade will fully eliminate oil use in the building, decarbonize heating, and provide both heating and cooling for City staff.

The project also addresses deferred maintenance by replacing aging equipment and modernizing building systems. Detailed design has been completed, and construction is expected to begin in October.

The City has secured funding from the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program to complete a deep energy retrofit of the Kilbride Community Centre. This project will significantly improve energy performance and accessibility for residents.

Upgrades include new wall and roof insulation, air sealing, heat pumps, a new electrical service, LED lighting, and EV chargers. Accessibility improvements include an accessible washroom, code-compliant ramps, and a new elevator. As a deep energy retrofit, this project is designed to go beyond simple upgrades and deliver major energy savings and a more inclusive community space. The project is currently in the tendering phase for detailed design, with construction expected to begin 2026.

This project will decarbonize three key buildings in Bowring Park, the Lodge, Conservatory, and Maintenance Shed, all of which currently rely on oil furnaces for heating. With support from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Climate Change Challenge Fund, the City will complete energy retrofits that include building envelope upgrades, fuel switching to electric heating (such as heat pumps), and removal of oil-fired systems.

These upgrades will address significant deferred maintenance, as these buildings have not received major updates in over 20–30 years, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

The City has completed an LED lighting retrofit at the Southlands Community Centre to replace aging fluorescent fixtures that had reached the end of their service life. This project improves lighting quality, reduces maintenance needs, and delivers significant energy savings.

Construction is complete, and the City is currently in the final commissioning stages.

The City of St. John’s currently operates 18 Level 2 EV chargers at various city facilities and public parking areas and is expanding this network to increase geographic coverage. With funding from the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP) through NRCan, the City will install 26 new chargers at additional city facilities, parks and public spaces where charging infrastructure does not currently exist.

This expansion will make electric vehicle charging more accessible across the city, supporting sustainable transportation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The project is currently in the tendering phase for installation services, with construction expected to begin early next year and conclude by March 2027.

The City of St. John’s completed the St. John’s Zero Emission Bus Implementation and Rollout Plan, a feasibility study examining depot infrastructure upgrades, on-route charging, and full electrification of all bus routes. The study confirmed that complete electrification is achievable, and in 2024, City Council unanimously adopted the plan.

The project is currently in the detailed design phase for the Metrobus depot retrofit, led by the Capital Works’ Facility Engineering division. Once design is complete, construction will begin, followed by procurement and deployment of electric buses, advancing the City’s transition to zero-emission public transit.

With funding support from FCM’s Green Municipal Fund, the City of St. John’s is developing a Low-Carbon Fleet and Supporting Infrastructure Master Plan to evaluate the municipal fleet and supporting facilities for low-carbon alternatives. The study includes right-sizing analysis, vehicle sharing opportunities, and the feasibility of adopting low-carbon technologies across the fleet.

It will also assess supporting infrastructure at all City facilities that house vehicles and optimize storage at key locations to maintain efficient operations while enabling a low-carbon transition. This plan will provide a road map for modernizing the fleet and associated infrastructure, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting sustainable municipal operations.

While the development of the Low-Carbon Fleet and Supporting Infrastructure Master Plan is underway, the City has implemented an EV pilot with three electric vehicles currently in the municipal fleet and six more electric vehicles to be procured in the near future. To support these pilots, EV charging infrastructure has been installed at City Hall, Municipal Depot, Windsor Lake Water Treatment Plant, and Riverhead Wastewater Treatment Plant.

In total, 12 Level 2 chargers have been installed across these four facilities, enabling current and future electric fleet vehicles to operate effectively. Installation is now complete at all locations.

The City of St. John’s has secured funding from NRCan’s Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program, CMHC, and FCM’s Sustainable Affordable Housing Program to complete deep energy retrofits for 166 city-owned housing units. This includes 65 units at Riverhead Towers and 101 units across other building types such as duplexes and row housing.

The retrofits will improve building envelopes, install heat pumps, enhance air sealing, and deliver other energy efficiency measures, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs while improving comfort for residents. The retrofits at Riverhead Towers are currently underway, with work on the remaining 101 units set to begin following the City’s planned tendering process.

The City of St. John’s is working with ICLEI on the Cost of Doing Nothing study, which evaluates the financial impacts on municipal infrastructure if no action is taken on climate change. The study aims to make the investment business case for climate change adaptation by quantifying the potential costs of inaction.

By identifying risks and projecting future expenses, the study will help the City prioritize adaptation measures, plan resilient infrastructure investments, and ensure sustainable management of municipal assets in a changing climate.

The City of St. John’s is undertaking the Code Accelerator Project, a feasibility study across various housing archetypes to evaluate the adoption of higher tiers of the National Building Code of Canada and the National Energy Code for Buildings. The project includes technical analysis, as well as training municipal regulatory staff to enforce these updated standards.

Engagement with homeowners’ associations, contractors, and other stakeholders is also a key component, ensuring the community is prepared for and supported in implementing these higher-performance building standards.

The City of St. John’s is participating in the Climate Resilient Coastal Communities Project, led by AIM Network, which focuses on assessing and preparing for sea level rise and coastal risks. The project includes creating updated flood maps, conducting detailed risk assessments for flooding and erosion, and identifying the most vulnerable areas in the community.

Community engagement is a key component, and the project will develop plans for adaptive strategies, including natural and nature-based solutions, to enhance the resilience of coastal areas against climate impacts.

The City of St. John’s is undertaking a Climate Risk Assessment and Prioritized Adaptation Plan, funded through FCM’s Climate Ready Plans and Processes program under the Green Municipal Fund. The project will deliver data-driven, visually accessible tools to assess climate risks, including flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, and sea level rise, across the municipality.

It will include all-hazards mapping, social and physical vulnerability mapping, comprehensive climate risk assessment, and prioritized adaptation planning integrated into municipal service models. Community engagement, including equity-deserving groups, will ensure transparent, inclusive decision-making. The project will enable strategic, data-driven climate adaptation investments to protect infrastructure, enhance resilience, and support equitable, sustainable community outcomes.