Homeowners will be able to increase their home insulation in their attic/ceiling, exterior walls, exposed floors, basement/foundation, and crawl space through the Canadian Greener Homes Grant. Investing in insulation will slow the rate of heat loss, improving home energy use, and helping you save money. We use an RSI value and an R-value to measure insulation’s resistance to heat flow. Résistance Système International (RSI) is the metric measurement while the R-value is the imperial measurement. Higher resistance values are beneficial as they mean a slower rate of heat transfer through insulating materials. Our expert energy advisors will provide you with recommendations on insulation improvements and the calculation of your incentive using these values.

You can learn more about insulation materials here.

Note: All equipment purchases must be made in Canada. Online purchases may only be eligible if they are ordered from an online distributor in Canada.

Insulating your attic is a common starting point due to its relatively easy access for installation. An already insulated attic can still benefit from a review to increase comfort and energy efficiency.

Learn more about insulation here.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• Insulate at least 20% of the total area of your ceiling or attic.
• The insulation value must be increased (R-value or RSI).
• Add insulation in the same location (e.g., attic floor vs. attic ceiling) as the existing insulation when the pre-retrofit evaluation is undertaken.

Note:

• The grant amounts reflect a situation where 100% of the ceiling area is one roof type. Your home may have a combination of ceiling types.
• The total grant for any combination of attic, cathedral ceiling, and flat roof insulation cannot exceed $1,800.
• The total amount of your reimbursement will be calculated based on the total percentage of your attic that you choose to insulate. For example, if you insulate 70% of your attic you would qualify for 70% of the amount listed below.

The walls of your house can cause 20% of total heat loss alongside cracks and access points allowing water leakage and uncontrolled air into and out of your house.

Review the following information regarding blown-in and foamed-in insulations, to help choose the best product for your situation.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• Insulate a minimum of 20% of your exterior wall area. Excluding foundation walls ( grants for foundations are listed below).

Note:

• The total amount of your reimbursement will be calculated based on the total percentage of your wall that you choose to insulate. This means if you insulate 70% of your wall area, you would qualify for 70% of the amount listed below.
• For a semi-detached or end unit row house, you only qualify for a maximum of 75% of the listed amounts. For a middle unit row house, the maximum grant you would qualify for is 50% of the listed amounts.
• There are no incentives available for the insulation of walls between individual units.

Open foundations and exposed floors can expose vulnerable areas such as attached garages or additions which can be insulated to improve comfort and save energy. This measure is intended to provide insulation under homes with main floors exposed to the outdoors.

Learn more about insulation exposed floors here.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• Insulate the entire exposed floor area (minimum area of 11 square meters or 120 square feet).
• This can include overhangs and floors above unheated spaces (for example an unheated garage).
• Crawlspaces are excluded. (See grants for crawlspace below)

Basements can account for about 20% of a home’s total heat loss due to air leakage through basement windows and at the top of the foundation wall.

Learn more about insulating basements and foundations here

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• Insulate a minimum of 20% of the wall area of the foundation. This includes basement and crawlspace walls.

Note:

• You can combine the grants shown below: This includes actions such as adding insulation to the basement header and wall insulation.
• For a semi-detached or end unit row house, you only qualify for a maximum of 75% of the listed amounts. For a middle unit row house, the maximum grant you would qualify for is 50% of the listed amounts.
• There are no incentives available for the insulation of walls between individual units.
• When both a basement and crawlspace are present, all applicable grants are pro-rated to a maximum of $1,500 based on the total wall area and the additional insulation.

To heat your crawlspace, you can insulate it from the inside or outside. You can also insulate the house floor above it.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• Add insulation in the crawlspace wall and header, or ceiling.
• Insulate the entire area outlined in the Recommended Upgrade Report.
• If you are also insulating your basement, the maximum you can receive for insulating both areas is $1500.

Note:

• For a semi-detached or end unit row house, you only qualify for a maximum of 75% of the listed amounts. For a middle unit row house, the maximum grant you would qualify for is 50% of the listed amounts.

Reducing air from leaving your house is the first thing our energy experts consider when it comes to a retrofit strategy to improve energy efficiency. You will be provided with a Renovation Upgrade Report (RUR) which will provide you with a target to improve the air-tightness of your home. You will be given a more favourable grant amount the lower your existing value is. An air-sealing professional is typically employed to help high levels of air-tightness.

To upgrade the energy efficiency of your windows, you are able to choose from a variety of alternatives. You can help combat climate change, save energy, and make your home more comfortable by installing a complete new window and frame replacement with new, high-performance ENERGY STAR® certified windows or inserts.

Learn more about replacing your windows here.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• All equipment must be purchased in Canada.
• Online purchases are only eligible if they are ordered from an online distributor in Canada.
• The equipment must be on an eligible list below.
• Until your post-retrofit evaluation has passed, maintain the ENERGY STAR labels on your windows and doors.

Note:

• A new window unit can be inserted into the existing frame of an old window, but replacements of only the glass, sash, or door without a frame are not eligible.
• A maximum of $250 per rough opening with a maximum of $5000.

Reduce your carbon footprint and your energy bill by implementing smart or programmable thermostats. These can allow you to schedule temperatures to automatically adjust to energy-saving time-frames.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• Must be combined with another retrofit measures from the Canada Greener Homes Grant.
• All equipment must be purchased in Canada.
• Online purchases are only eligible if they are ordered from an online distributor in Canada.

Exclusions: New heat pumps are installed with new thermostats and cannot be combined with this grant. A resiliency measure and a thermostat must be combined with another measure (in order to qualify for the grants).

Space heating accounts for over 60% of the energy used in the average Canadian household due to the region’s cold climate. Cut your utility bills and carbon emissions by switching to more energy-efficient heating equipment, such as a heat pump. The cost of energy to operate a product over its lifetime is just as, if not more important than its upfront price.

Learn more about energy-efficient heating equipment here.

Search the eligible heat pump product list here;

A heat pump is an electrically driven device that extracts heat from a low-temperature place and delivers it to a higher temperature place. Relying on a heat pump to heat or cool your home year-round in a moderate climate is effective. However, a ‘cold climate’ heat pump is more effective in colder climates and reduces the need for supplemental heat sources.

Learn more about heat pumps here.

Our energy advisors can assist with the estimation of the economics of heat pumps in your area to figure out your potential savings. Heat pumps can be more expensive than other heating systems due to the internal system components. In certain situations and regions, due to energy cost savings, this cost can be recouped and significant GHGs savings can be made relatively quickly. This timeline can be extended due to varying utility rates in different regions. Speak with one of our energy advisors to figure out if a heat pump or a ‘cold climate’ heat pump is right for you.

Note:

• Your new pump must be on one of the eligible list of products below in order to be eligible for reimbursement.
• All equipment must be purchased in Canada.
• Online purchases are only eligible if they are ordered from an online distributor in Canada.

There are two grants available for geothermal systems (ground source heat pumps). The first is for the installation of the full system and the second is for the replacement of the heat pump unit.

To be eligible for these grants you must meet the following requirements:

• Your ground source heat pump unit must be installed by a licensed and trained professional.
• It is highly recommended that you ask the licensed and trained professional to sign an attestation form that the installation has been completed according to the CSA standard – ANSI/CSA/IGSHPA C448 SERIES (latest version), “Design and installation of ground source heat pump systems for commercial and residential buildings.”
• Your new pump must be on a list of eligible products below
• All ground source heat pump equipment must be purchased in Canada. Online purchases are only eligible if they are ordered from an online distributor in Canada.
• Performance criteria (see below)

Note:

• When using a licensed professional it is highly recommended that you obtain proof of their license to install equipment in your province or territory

There are two levels of grants for air source heat pumps depending on the size of the equipment installed.

Search the eligible heat pump product list here;

Learn more about heat pumps here.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• It is highly recommended that homeowners get two attestations from the contractor:
  • Form 1 – Before accepting the quote from a licensed professional it is highly recommended that you obtain proof of their license to install equipment in your province or territory
  • Form 2 – that the unit has been sized for the entire house
• Your new pump must be on the list of eligible products
• All equipment must be purchased in Canada. Online purchases are only eligible if they are ordered from an online distributor in Canada.
• Performance criteria (see below)

In the average Canadian home, water heating accounts for over 20% of energy used.

Learn more about using energy-efficient water heaters here.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• Must be installed by a licensed and trained professional.
• Your new water heater must be on the list of eligible products
• All equipment must be purchased in Canada. Online purchases are only eligible if they are ordered from an online distributor in Canada.

Renewable energy utilizes energy derived from natural processes that are replenished at an equal or faster rate than which they are consumed. The Canada Greener Homes Initiative allows you to receive a grant for installing solar photovoltaic technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity. Climate Resiliency Grants can make you eligible for reimbursements for a portion of the cost of installing batteries to store the solar energy you have generated.

Learn more about solar panels for homes here.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• All equipment must be purchased in Canada
• Online purchases are only eligible if they are ordered from an online distributor in Canada.
• The system must be composed of photovoltaic (PV) panel and inverter certified to CSA Standards
• The rated PV panel must have peak power capacity higher than or equal to 1.0 kW

The environmental impacts of climate change can affect your home causing fire, flooding, wind and loss of power. You can identify specific vulnerabilities to climate change based on your home’s location.

Consider adding additional retrofits to protect your home and family from environmental damages while you add other upgrades to your home.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• The resiliency measure detailed below must be combined with an energy efficiency retrofit from the Canadian Greener Homes Grants initiative

A small MURB is a three or fewer storey building, with a building area not above 600m^2, and is not a retirement home. They must be stacked (up/down) or have a common area. Townhomes cannot be MURBS.

Read more about the full definition and eligibility here.

To be eligible for reimbursement:

• The small MURB must adhere to the definition laid out by the Greener Homes Grant initiative
• A single EnerGuide evaluation must be undertaken of the entire structure (or address) and not on a unit by unit basis.
• All homeowners must be aware that an evaluation has occurred through an internal organization (e.g. by way of condo board)
• Retrofits in a MURB must be agreed to by the person or persons able to make decisions about the renovations to the building.
• Individual homeowners within the MURB must apply for individual grants of up to $5,000 based on the single EnerGuide evaluation undertaken for the entire structure.

Calculating incentives:

You can calculate the maximum allowable amount for building envelope measures – adding insulation and/or air sealing – in MURBs based on the number of units within the building.

The following table outlines the multiplier amount:

You would calculate a MURB with 9 units wanting to claim amounts for both air sealing and exposed wall insulation as follows:

(Air Sealing Maximum $1,000 x 2.0 = $2,000) + (Exposed wall insulation $350 x 2.0 = $700) = $2,700

Note:

• Only one homeowner may claim reimbursements for building envelope measures. This may not be split between two homeowners.
• If one homeowner in a MURB only claims a portion of the measure, the remainder cannot be claimed by another homeowner.

Windows and doors grants are calculated on a rough opening* basis. MURBs receive the same allocated grant amount as homes. MURBs can install as many windows and/or doors up to a total of $5,000 per homeowner and a maximum of $20,000 per MURB.

*A rough opening is the structural framing in a wall or roof separating a heated from unheated space that creates an opening for the installation of a window, door or skylight. For example, a bay window with three window units installed into one rough opening is eligible for only one grant.

Small MURBs do not qualify for measures related to heat pumps or domestic water heaters.

Thermostats will not qualify for the multiplier for MURBs.

Small MURBs can apply the multiplier for the installation of a photovoltaic (PV) system (max $5,000) and for resiliency measures.