Awards and Bursaries
The expense of registration fees for a WETT training course is a potential barrier for people seeking certification. The DuraVent/Security Chimneys Bursary offers financial relief for persons living in remote areas of Canada who require assistance with course registration fees. Funded annually over a five-year period for the years 2020-2024, this bursary provides partial funding each year for three attendees to attend a WETT course.
Three bursaries, consisting of $500 each, will be awarded annually. Bursary payments will only be issued upon confirmation of the applicants’ attendance at the course(s).
Eligibility will be open to applicants who are Canadian citizens, residing in Canada, seeking WETT certification as either a technician, system advisor or chimney sweep.
Eligible candidates must have registered and paid for the Code Compliance course.
No employees or family members of employees of DuraVent/Security Chimneys can apply for this award. No WETT Board member or WETT affiliate Board member can apply for this bursary.
No one person can receive a bursary more than once.
Previous Winners
Jacob Winger (2021)
David Steward (2020)
Colleen Cormier (2019)
SBI and WETT would like to congratulate Lucas Eady, the 2023 winner of the SBI Training Bursary.
Lucas has worked in the construction industry for a little over 30 years in a family business, mainly doing roofing and chimneys, and is looking for a new career that is not so physically demanding on the body.
He has been working for his brother, James Eady (Eady Home Inspections) in the home inspection industry for the last two years and would like to add WETT inspection to his profile.
WETT Inc. and SBI International are pleased to announce a training bursary in support of family members of current or recently WETT-certified professionals. In an effort to reward and support the continuance of family engagement in the wood-burning industry, SBI has generously agreed to fund a bursary program that annually funds tuition for an individual seeking certification under the WETT training program.
The purpose of this bursary is to provide financial assistance to a person seeking WETT certification as an installer, system advisor or sweep following the WETT path to certification. Eligibility is open to applicants seeking WETT certification who are Canadian citizens, reside in Canada and are family members of current or recently WETT-certified (within the last five years) professionals.
The recipient will have the course fees waived for:
The Code Compliance course
The Wood-burning Systems course, and
The SITE™ Inspection course.
Please consult our Paths to Certification (insert link to page URL) for complete details on how to become WETT certified. Recipients will still be responsible for travel, accommodation and any other expenses they may incur related to attending the training courses. All three courses must be taken within the first year of being awarded. The bursary is not transferable and has no cash value.
Previous Winners
Hannah Thompson (2022)
Richard Winters (2021)
Jennifer Fletcher (2020)
Carter Aubé (2019)
Selkirk Canada Inc. and WETT would like to congratulate Mitchell Somerville, the 2023 winner of the Selkirk Training Bursary.
Mitchell works as a sales associate for The Fireplace Centre, in Kamloops, BC. Mitchell's roles include sales and installations. He also attends trainings and studies installation manuals. Mitchell feels that becoming WETT certified is an important step in his development as a hearth professional.
During his time at The Fireplace Centre, Mitchell has proven himself to be irreplaceable. His positive attitude helps make the shop a happy and friendly place to do business.
The purpose of this bursary is to provide financial assistance to a person seeking WETT certification as an installer, system advisor or sweep following the WETT paths to certification. This bursary, funded over a five-year period, will cover the course fees for one individual per year seeking WETT certification.
The winner will have the course fees waived for:
the Code Compliance course,
the Wood-burning Systems course, and
the SITE™ Inspection course.
Eligibility is open to applicants who are Canadian citizens, residing in Canada and seeking WETT certification. No employees nor family members of employees of Selkirk can apply for this award.
No WETT Board member, WETT affiliate Board member, WETT certificate holder, nor his/her respective immediately family members can apply for this bursary.
Previous Winners
Cody Gorman (2022)
Dustin Good (2021)
Glen Dodsworth (2020)
Colleen Cormier (2019)
Christopher Barrett (2018)
Dougal Rattray (2017)
Patrice Bureau (2016)
Tristen Lunnie (2015)
James Pye (2014)
Guy Shelemy (2012)
Brian Osterlin (2011)
Ben Nyssen (2010)
WETT is pleased to announce that Waldemar Beitler — from Ste. Anne, MB — is the 2023 award winner.
In memory of Elizabeth Mason, who passed away in 2008, WETT created the Elizabeth Mason Academic Achievement Award. Elizabeth was a long-standing WETT member committed to advancing the goals of the organization.
Originally from British Columbia, Elizabeth was a retailer in Nova Scotia who later in her career became the Registrar for our Nova Scotia affiliate, the Association of Wood Energy Technicians Atlantic (AWETA, now WET-NS). Elizabeth was very active in Nova Scotia serving on countless committees and managing multiple projects for AWETA. Elizabeth also made valuable contributions to WETT nationally by working with the WETT National Board on numerous initiatives.
The purpose of this award is to acknowledge and award excellence and commitment to a new program entrant who has successfully completed the Code Compliance course with the highest marks in a given period. Candidates are selected from all who successfully complete the Code Compliance course in the prior year. There will only be one winner per year. The award includes a credit toward the course fees for the WETT Wood-burning Systems course or cash equivalent.
Previous Winners
Terrence McNally (2022)
Michael Wilbur (2021)
Cassandra Leonard (2020)
Frank Wakegijig (2019)
Derek Fraser (2018)
Kendel MacMullin (2017)
Riley Matthews (2014)
Adam McMullen (2011)
Andy Byker (2009)
The WETT Award of Excellence recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to advancing the objectives of WETT Inc.
The recipient will have shown a commitment towards:
Advancing public awareness of the role of WETT in the wood-burning sector in Canada;
Advancing awareness of all levels of government about the role of WETT;
Promoting the safe, efficient and environmental responsible use of solid-fuel-burning appliances;
Advancing professionalism and adherence to the WETT Code of Ethics amongst certificate holders;
Research and development of technologies, educational materials and best practices for responsible wood burning;
Building networks for collaboration with sector stakeholders.
Eligible recipients can be current and/or past WETT certificate holders. Non-certificate holders worth recognizing for their work advancing WETT’s objectives are also eligible for consideration.
Nominations can be submitted by WETT certificate holders or generated by WETT committees, Affiliate Boards or the WETT National Board. Nominations should be submitted using our online form and should contain information about the nominee, including details as to how the nominee has shown a commitment to WETT. Sufficient detail should be supplied to allow the reviewers to fully assess eligibility. The nominee is not required to be notified of his/her nomination. Nominations will be held in confidence.
The frequency for the award being presented will be at the discretion of the WETT National Board. There are no set timelines for nominations to be received.
Previous Winners
Brian Yanik (2022)
Jan Herald (2021)