Turning information into impact at the Home Energy and Electric Vehicle Expo

It was a great turn out at Durham Region’s Home Energy and Electric Vehicle (EV) Expo (the Expo), with more than 200 attendees and residents coming together for this free event at Regional Headquarters in Whitby, alongside organizers, vendors and community partners.

Bringing together community organizations

With more than 20 vendors taking part, the event showed the strong community support for energy-efficiency, energy security and sustainability in Durham Region.

From contractors to home energy and EV experts, residents had the chance to ask questions and learn from people working in the home energy and electric vehicle sectors.

“It was great to see residents having real conversations with exhibitors and learning from homeowners who’ve already made energy‑saving upgrades,” said Nayel Halim, Policy Advisor for Climate and Environment, Durham Region. “Events like this matter. They help connect people with practical, easy-to-understand information and show how small changes at home can lead to real improvements across the community.”

Walking the talk on climate action

The Expo supported Durham Region’s Community Energy Plan and Climate Adaptation Plan by helping residents learn practical ways to make their homes more energy efficient and better prepared for extreme weather. By bringing trusted information together in one place, the event helped residents lower energy costs, reduce emissions and build stronger, more resilient homes and communities.

Further highlighting the Expo’s impact on residents and the broader community, Sarah Shields, Manager, Sustainability and Climate Change for the Town of Whitby, shared, “It was an essential step in turning Whitby’s climate goals into action. By providing residents with practical, reliable information, the Expo supports informed choices that reduce emissions, lower household energy costs and strengthen community resilience.” Shields also added it helps advance Whitby’s Climate Emergency Response Plan and Community Zero Carbon 2045 goal.
The strong turnout at the Expo makes it clear that residents across the region, are looking for easy, hands-on ways to make a difference in their own homes and neighbourhoods.

“We’re seeing a lot of interest in tree planting this spring, with residents looking to add trees to their backyards and properties and wanting to know how to do it right,” said Melanie Kawalec, Project Manager of Sustainability and Climate Change with the Municipality of Clarington.
“The LEAF tree planting program supports residents across Durham Region, including Clarington, by providing the information and assistance they need to successfully plant and care for trees.”

These initiatives, and the practical advice behind them, were front and centre at the Expo.

Powering change at home

Apart from the hands-on experiences and interactive vendors, the event was the perfect platform to launch the Region’s expanded Durham Greener Homes program. New program features include:

• The Weather-Ready Home Assessment, which helps residents understand how extreme weather could impact their homes and provides home-specific recommendations.
• The Durham Greener Homes Loan, which provides low interest long-term financing to support home upgrades.

These new program features build on the successful Durham Greener Homes coaching service which provides personalized advice on making homes greener and finding available incentives. The program has supported more than 2,500 households with energy coaching services since it launched in 2022. Access to both programs is free to Durham Region residents.

“The Expo was about giving residents easy access to trusted programs, incentives and experts who could help them make real improvements at home, from energy upgrades to weather‑ready solutions,” said Shannon Logan, Durham Region’s Manager of Climate Resilience. “We were excited to connect people with the Durham Greener Homes program, including the new loan option and home assessments, and to help residents take meaningful next steps.”

The energy at the Expo made it clear Durham Region residents are eager, informed and ready to take the next step toward making lasting impacts at home.