All You Need to Know About the New Canadian Greener Homes Grant

There are many benefits to an energy-efficient home—lower utility bills, reduced drafts and noise, more control over indoor temperature, lower carbon footprint, and an increase in home value, just to name a few. But now the Canadian Government has added another incentive to that list. With the Canadian Greener Homes Grant, you could get up to $5,600 when making energy-efficient home retrofits.

It’s estimated that 18% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings (private homes included). This initiative aims to encourage homeowners to reduce their homes emissions by offsetting part of the costs of the necessary improvements.

What does the Greener Homes Grant cover?

The Grant covers pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluations up to $600, and up to $5000 in costs with eligible energy-efficient retrofits—so each homeowner could receive up to $5600 in reimbursements. A total of 700,000 grants are available under the initiative.

Eligible retrofits that can be reimbursed under the Greener Homes Grant:

• Home insulation
• Windows and doors
• Air-sealing
• Thermostats*
• Space and water heating
• Solar energy panels
• Resiliency measures* (such as waterproofing of foundation, batteries installation for standby energy source, and moisture-proofing of flooring, walls, and headers)

*Must be combined with another retrofit.

Who’s eligible for the Greener Homes Grant?

Homeowners in any location within Canada can apply for the Grant, as long as they present:

• Proof of ownership and property tax bill number.
• Proof that the property is their primary residence (driver’s license or another form of government-issued document that shows primary address).

Only one homeowner can apply per property. Indigenous governments and organizations are also eligible to apply.

Eligible property types are:

• Single and semi-detached homes
• Row homes
• Townhomes
• All-season cottages
• Mobile homes (on a permanent foundation)
• Floating homes (permanently-moored)
• The residential portion of mixed-use buildings
• Multi-unit residential building (maximum of three storeys with a footprint of 600m² or less)

New homes are not eligible for the grant.

How to apply

Eligible homeowners can apply online and book their pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation. Once your evaluation is done, you’ll receive a list of recommended retrofits for your home, and you can then decide which ones to implement.

After the improvements are done, the reimbursement process can be started. To be reimbursed, you’re required to book a post-retrofit evaluation, submit all the necessary documentation, and confirm the total amount of your grant. Once those steps are done, you’ll receive your cheque.

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How you can make your home more energy efficient?

FirCrest is a Net Zero Trained Renovator with over 40 years of experience, serving Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Schedule a FREE consultation with our specialists to go over your renovation plans.