Celebrate the season with our festive fall roundup and a chance to win the ultimate autumn prize pack.
Cozy recipes and power smart tips to savour the sweater-weather
The air is crisp, the leaves are a riot of color, and fall flavours like squash, apples, pears, and pumpkin are all in season. From comforting soups and roasted veggies to savvy energy-saving tips, we're serving up our favourite ways to make the most of the season. Plus, keep scrolling to discover how you can earn rewards, score seasonal deals, and enter our cozy fall contest.
Whip up warmth with quick and cozy soups
Forget the constant stirring. Simmer smarter with a pressure cooker and turn fall veggies into soups bursting with flavour.
To make the most of B.C.'s fall bounty, we've rounded up eight soup recipes packed with seasonal veggies and fruit.
- Butternut squash and apple soup (thispilgrimlife.com)
- Slow cooker or Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (wholesomedelicious.com)
- Chicken tortilla soup (feastingathome.ca)
- Cozy autumn wild rice soup (gimmesomeoven.com)
- Instant Pot mulligatawny soup (easyindiancookbook.com)
- Instant Pot pork shank carrot soup (pressurecookrecipes.com)
- Instant Pot loaded potato soup (belleofthekitchen.com)
- Instant Pot hot and sour soup (fedbysab.com)
Seal the deal on comfort
Maximize comfort and reduce heating costs this cool season by sealing air leaks in your home. Check out our draftproofing how-to guide for easy steps to find leaks around windows and doors and fix them yourself with minimal cost and basic tools.
If you're feeling crafty this fall, head to the Vancouver Fall Home Show, October 23 to 26 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Visit our community team, see HGTV DIY celeb Shannon Evans live on the main stage, and use promo code BCHYDRO for 2-for-1 advance tickets.
Turn up the savings with smart thermostats and Peak Saver
There are two ways to be a Peak Saver.
Sign up to take part in challenges during peak events, short times when electricity use is expected to be highest, typically during colder weather. Shift or save enough energy to meet the target and you'll earn rewards.
The other way is by enrolling your smart home devices in Peak Saver to allow us to adjust them remotely during times of high electricity demand. You'll earn an enrollment bonus of up to $500, plus ongoing seasonal rewards, for enrolling thermostats, electric vehicle chargers, batteries and load controllers.
For a limited time, get $50 off a select four-pack of Mysa smart thermostats, and earn up to $150 when you enroll your installed thermostats in Peak Saver.
Warm up without turning up the heat
We've all been there. One person in the room is perfectly warm, while the other (and this could be you) is feeling the chill. Before cranking up the heat, increase your own comfort with these easy tricks:
- Slip on slippers. When your feet are warm, you feel warmer.
- Layer up with a sweater or hoodie. Lounging in a t-shirt in winter? Not the brightest idea.
- Grab a blanket. Stash one or two in rooms where you read, watch TV, or just chill. Need a new page-turner? Borrow one (or download an ebook) from your local library.
- Lay down a rug. Again, when your feet are warm…
Find fresh deals on an energy-efficient fridge, washer, or dryer
Store the squash, prep the pie, and breeze through cleanup, all while using less electricity.
For a limited time, get up to $150 off select high-efficiency, ENERGY STAR®-certified appliances (fridges, washers, dryers, and all-in-one washers/dryers).
Heed the call of B.C.'s fall colour
Our province may not rival Quebec for the sheer abundance of fall colours, but take a look around. Plan a visit to these top spots for fall colour destinations, from Nelson, Victoria, and Vancouver, to Highway 3 and the Cariboo.
Did you know? Adding a seasonal splash of colour to your yard can improve home comfort and reduce energy bills. Plant a deciduous shade tree on the south or west side of your home to help cool the home in the summer. By winter, the leaves will be gone, allowing the sun to spill into your home when you need it most.
Munch to a different beet
Those who like beets like them a lot. We've got two standout ways to enjoy this vibrant root in a salad – one raw, one roasted.
If you can track down some colourful candy cane beets (chioggia), let them steal the show in this beet salad that features a supporting cast of red onion, arugula, red onions, goat cheese and pistachios.
If you prefer roasted beets and have an air fryer, try this method to save time and electricity for the prep. Then pair them with feta in this simple, flavourful roast beet salad recipe.
Weather the storm: stay safe and warm during outage
Power outages and emergencies can strike anytime, especially when wind and rain roll in. Prepare your home and have an emergency kit ready, ideally stocked with food, water, and essentials for outages lasting 72 hours or more.
See a downed power line? Stay back at least 10 metres and call 911.
Did you know? When the power goes out, check our outages map to see if we already know about it. If your outage isn't listed, call 1 800 BCHYDRO (1 800 224 9376) or *HYDRO (*49376) on your mobile, or log in to report it online.
Keep heat where you need it
Unless you're using an electric heat pump, which is most efficient when you set the temperature and forget it, schedule or adjust your thermostats to mirror what you're doing and when you're doing it.
To avoid wasted heat (and higher electricity costs), only turn on baseboard heaters in rooms that are occupied. Close doors to bedrooms and offices when baseboard heaters are turned on to keep the heat in.
A ceiling fan works wonders when it's used correctly. While you'll want to run it counter-clockwise in the summer, reverse it to bring warm air down in the fall and winter months.
Did you know? Heating costs rise about 5% for every degree above 20°C. Set your thermostat to 16°C while sleeping, 18°C for chores, and 21°C for cozy down time.
Fall for these crispy seasonal veggies
Expect a flavour boost from onions, carrots, or virtually any vegetable you roast in an air fryer. Cooking this way saves time and energy — small appliances like air fryers use up to 75% less electricity than conventional ovens. No air fryer? Consider a trusty toaster oven, which also saves time (it heats up really fast) and energy.
Here are a few popular roast vegetable recipes:
- Air fryer butternut squash (drdavinahseats.com)
- Air fryer mixed vegetables (loveandlemons.com)
- Air fryer potatoes (delish.com)
- Crispy fried onions/barista (ministryofcurry.com)
- Air fryer peppers (rachnacooks.com)
- Crispy air fryer cauliflower (littlesunnykitchen.com)
Vote for your favourite fall veggie and enter to win a cozy prize pack
If fall had a flavour, which veggie would it be? We're on a mission to crown the star of the harvest bowl. Root for your favourite, cast your vote, and you could win a Danby air fryer, a pair of Mysa smart thermostats, a Kobo eReader, and a $100 Canadian Tire gift card for draftproofing goodies or (fall décor). [Contest rules]
Want more chances to win? Find the giveaway on Instagram and Facebook. [Contest rules]
BC Hydro will use any personal information provided with the Contest entry and fulfilment, including the entrants’ name, address, postal code, phone number, and email address for the purpose of administering the Contest as contemplated by these Contest Rules. BC Hydro collects and uses personal information and runs this Contest in furtherance of its conservation mandate under the Clean Energy Act (British Columbia) as amended or replaced from time to time and in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (British Columbia).
If you have any questions about how BC Hydro collects, uses or discloses your personal information, please contact connectwithus@bchydro.com. You may also consult the Privacy Statement for more information.