The federal government recently launched its Canada Greener Homes Grant program, a $2.6 billion grant that will help homeowners make their homes much more energy efficient.
Up to 700,000 grants are expected to be awarded over a 7-year period, with homeowners receiving up to a total of $5,600.
If you’ve been putting off renovating your home to replace your old windows and doors or to upgrade insulation and install solar panels, the Canada Greener Homes Scholarship can help make your dreams come true.
What is the Canada Greener Homes Scholarship?
As part of Canada’s plan to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Canada’s Greener Homes Grant will offer homeowners up to $5,600 to make their primary residence more energy efficient.
You may be eligible to receive up to $5,000 to cover energy efficiency upgrades to your home and up to $600 for home assessments.
This program is being administered by National Resources Canada.
In addition to the grant, homeowners will be able to access an interest-free loan of up to $40,000 starting this summer to help them complete extensive home remodels. This loan will be offered through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Who qualifies for the Home Energy Upgrade Program?
To qualify for the Canada Greener Homes Scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility requirements.
home ownership: You must be able to provide proof that you own the home (for example, property tax bill) and that it is your primary residence (for example, driver’s license).
Only one owner can apply; however, First Nations band councils and housing management organizations may apply on behalf of multiple households.
kind of property: The types of property eligible for the program are:
- Single-family and semi-detached homes
- row house
- terraced houses
- Cabins for the whole year
- Mobile homes on a permanent basis
- Permanently moored houseboats
- Residential portions of mixed-use buildings
- Small multi-unit residential building that is three stories or less and has a footprint of 600 mtwo or less
New homes that are 6 months old or less are not eligible for the grant.
EnerGuide Evaluation: You must complete a pre- and post-modern EnerGuide assessment conducted by an NRCan-registered energy assessor.
To manage the increased demand for EnerGuide assessments, up to 2,000 new energy assessors are being hired and trained.
Must complete at least one eligible and recommended retrofit project and must be able to provide necessary documents when requested.
The cost of EnerGuide assessments completed before December 1, 2020 are not eligible for reimbursement.
Eligibility Accommodations: Your planned retrofit or upgrade must be recommended by an energy advisor. Also, all equipment or materials used must be purchased in Canada.
What home renovations are covered?
Eligible modifications include:
1. Home insulation: Covered up to $5,000 and may include attic, exterior wall, floor, basement, and basement insulation.
2. Air sealing: Reimbursement is up to $1,000. This includes making improvements to limit air leakage from your home.
3. Windows and Doors: Upgrade to new ENERGY STAR® rated windows and doors. There is a cap of $5,000.
4. Thermostats: Get up to $50 to add a smart thermostat to your home.
5. Heating: Includes the replacement of heat pumps, furnaces and water heaters, so you can reduce your energy costs. Up to $5,000 is reimbursed for these upgrades.
6. Renewable energy: This includes the installation of solar panels and inverters certified to C5A standards. Up to $5,000 is provided.
7. resilience measures: When you upgrade your home to withstand fire, flood, power outage, etc., and as part of other energy upgrades, you may qualify for up to $2,625 in greener home grants.
A detailed list of eligible home renovations can be found here.
How to Apply for the Greener Homes Grant
You can apply to the Greener Homes program here.
If you live in Quebec and Nova Scotia, you can apply for the Canada Greener Homes Scholarship through your provincial program.
In Nova Scotia, this program is Nova Scotia Efficiencyand in Quebec, it is the renoclimat program.
Residents of other provinces and territories can apply through NRCan.
If you have questions about the program or the application process, please call NRCan at 1-833-674-8282 or TTY at 1-800-465-7735.
After signing up, you can book your pre-upgrade evaluation. An energy consultant completes an assessment and recommends modifications that will improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Based on your Renewal Update Report, you may continue to complete some or all of the recommended and eligible modifications.
Document all updates made and save receipts.
Once upgrades are complete, book a post-upgrade EnerGuide assessment by an energy consultant. After this, you can upload your appraisal reports and receipts online.
The maximum reimbursement for EnerGuide evaluations is $600 and you can get up to $5,000 for eligible modifications.
