The B.C. Sustainable Energy Association has released an analysis of where each of the federal parties stand on home energy efficiency measures, calling the Conservative's plan the least effective for generating tax revenue and creating jobs.

In March, Stephen Harper announced his party would extend the federal ecoEnergy program -- which provides rebates to Canadians who do energy-saving upgrades in their homes -- by one year.

"Calculations show that for every $1 paid out in retrofit incentives, governments can collect more than $2 in taxes. . . To scrap such a positive, self-financing, job-creating, family-benefiting program after just one year, as the Conservatives plan to do, must surely be one of the most foolish and short-sighted pledges in their entire platform," writes BCSEA president Guy Dauncey in a blog post today.

That post, plus a detailed breakdown of what each party is offering can be found on the BCSEA website here.

"The difference between the parties is enormous. The Conservative's commitment starts well, but then instantly ceases, as if it had never existed. Over five years, the Liberal Party's commitment would generate five times more tax income and generate five times more jobs than the Conservatives, and take 43 years to reach every family. The NDP's plan is smaller and slower, and would take 86 years to reach every family. The Greens and the Bloc seem to have got it about right, with plans that would generate ten times more tax income and ten times more jobs, and reach every family in eleven years," writes Dauncey.

Colleen Kimmett reports for The Tyee.