RETROFIT LOANS AND GRANTS
February 5, 2024
On Thursday we posted here that the Ontario government has put a hold on applications for the federal Greener Homes program, described below, and that applicants who had already completed a pre-retrofit energy assessment, or who had booked a pre-retrofit energy assessment to be completed by the end of this month would not be affected by the pause in the program. It’s been very popular, and Enbridge, who administers it in Ontario, wants to be sure there will be enough funds for it to continue.
Today we learned that the Greener Homes Program has now been cancelled, and no applications will be accepted after today. If you had your first energy assessment on or before February 5, you can continue your work. Your eligibility for grants remains intact.
According to CBC, a federal government source indicates an announcement on this topic is expected this week. When we know what is actually going on, we will update this page.
March 7, 2024
With Canada’s home retrofit industry in chaos, consumers abandoning ship, and emissions in housing still falling far too slowly, two separate open letters are urging Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson to restore funding for the popular Canada Greener Homes grant program.
The letters were both released Tuesday at 9 AM local time.
Cancelling the program “would set us back years in achieving our [greenhouse gas] emissions reduction goals, and denies the majority of Canadian homeowners the supports they need to create energy-efficient and climate-ready homes,” Green Communities Canada tells Wilkinson. “The forests are burning, and nearly all houses in the country need to be retrofitted. Now is not the time to slow down.”
- You must have a pre- and post-work assessment to qualify for financial support.
- You must be approved by an inspector before you apply.
- Applications go in before the work is begun.
See below for details, and check this page to find inspectors/installers.
FIRST: get a free energy assessment
Visit the Save on Energy website. The Save on Energy programme offers energy saving initiatives, including energy assessments tailored to your income level. You’ll find instructions on how to schedule an assessment, as well as a listing of contractors.
You can hire a certified energy auditor or consultant to assess your home’s energy efficiency. Some auditors may offer free initial assessments or provide information on rebates and incentives. If you’ve found an auditor, and would like to recommend them, please use the comments section at the end of this page. Although we will list your recommendations, we have no way to verify them. PCSH makes no recommendations for auditors or contractors.
SECOND: apply for your grant/loan
Your work must be approved by an inspector before you can apply. To find financial information, see the links at the end of this page.
THIRD: do the work
We are compiling lists of contractors for five areas in Perth County. If you’ve found a contractor, and would like to recommend them, please use the comments section at the end of this page. Although we will list your recommendations, we have no way to verify them. PCSH makes no recommendations for auditors or contractors.
FOURTH: get a post-work assessment from your inspector to receive your grant/loan payment
LET US KNOW about your experience.
We hope the information we are compiling on these pages will be helpful. You can help others by sharing what you learned, either through the contact boxes on these pages, or by direct email to us.
Help us improve this page: suggest a topic, correct an error, submit an article
Funding your retrofit – Mike Sullivan
NOTE: Shortly after Mike's talk, the federal government unexpectedly closed the Green Homes Grant. However, there's still a lot of really useful information in this video. Mike Sullivan lives in Stratford, and he's putting in a heat pump. Mike has gotten a lot of...
Financing your retrofit: the bureaucracy
David Laing lives in Brampton. This year (2023) he replaced a failing gas furnace with a heat pump, and has has written a series of blog posts, The Heat Pump Chronicles, which contain useful advice on grants, loans, and the mechanism itself. David shares his...
This listing of financial resources is not complete
NO LONGER AVAILABLE (FOR NOW?)
The Canada Greener Homes Grant is being co-delivered by Natural Resources Canada and Enbridge Gas in Ontario under the Home Efficiency Rebate Plus (HER+) program. Grants are provided to eligible homeowners for recommended and eligible retrofits such as home insulation, windows and doors, heat pumps and renewable energy systems.
- Grants from
$125 to$5,000 – To get back a portion of your costs for eligible home retrofits - Up to
$600 – As a maximum contribution toward the total costs of your pre and post retrofit EnerGuide evaluations
SAVE ON ENERGY PROGRAM: Offers energy-saving upgrades tailored to your home’s specific needs. For homeowners and renters. The type of support provided will depend on your household income level from the previous year and how many people live in your home, or on your receipt of a qualifying government or energy-support benefit. Residents of social housing may also be eligible.
Interest-free loans of up to $40,000 with a repayment term of ten years, open to homeowners who have an active application (at the pre-retrofit stage) with the Canada Greener Homes Grant. The loan can help you finance eligible retrofits that are recommended by an energy advisor and that have not yet been started.
IMPORTANT: You should not start any retrofit work before your loan application has been submitted. Any retrofits started before submitting your loan application are ineligible.
LEAP Program
The Ontario Electricity Support Program helps lower-income customers with their electricity bills. It is also available to people living in homes that have sub-meters (apartments, condos, co-ops, trailers) See this page to apply
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If your home is heated by oil, and you are at or below the median after-tax income level, you may qualify for to $10,000 for the purchase and installation of eligible cold climate air source heat pump systems. Eligible measures related to installation are also included (removal of oil tank, upgrades to electrical and mechanical systems, eligible backup electric heating system, other household systems as necessary (hot water heater).
LOCAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES?
To do:
1. check with county
2. check munnicipal resources
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