Green home retrofit program expands to 4 provinces, renters now eligible

The federal soldier regime is expanding a greener homes retrofit programme to Nova Scotia, Prince duke of windsor Island, quebec city and British Columbia.

"Over $500 million in funding, $300 million of which is federal, will be directed to help over 35,000 low- and median-income households install heat pumps, better insulation, improved air sealing and other upgrades at no cost, which will reduce their energy bills and lower their household emissions," according to a news release.

The program is a successor to the previous greener homes grant program that ran out of cash.

Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin and Energy Minister Tim Hodgson announced the federal program's launch on Monday at the International Energy Agency's Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Montreal.

It's been rebranded the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program (CGHAP) and has already rolled out in Manitoba.

The previous program was open to all homeowners. This new version will focus on low- to median-income households and is open to renters.

Unlike the old grant program, applicants will not have to spend any cash upfront. Organizations in the province will organize and undertake the renovations for free.

Federal greener homes program returns with focus on affordability

Efficiency Canada's Brendan Haley said Canada hasn't had an energy program that's focused on low-income earners ever, or renters for decades. While Haley's organization applauds the expansion, he notes key details are missing.

He says it's not yet clear if the low-income program will be adopted by every province.

"All the provinces have not announced how they are going to use the federal money," said Haley, the group's senior director of policy strategy.

The government's website also says CGHAP "will provide dedicated support to regional Indigenous governments and representative organizations" and that funds will come from existing agreements managed by Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.

The new program will fall under Environment and Climate Change Canada but will be administered by the provinces.

The news release mentions that it will be delivered "in co-ordination with all four provinces, as well as with Hydro-Québec, B.C. Hydro, FortisBC and EfficiencyOne," based in Nova Scotia. It did not share details about the eligibility criteria or the maximum amount households could receive.

Ottawa's green grants program for homeowners is running out of money faster than expected

Federal government pulls plug on home retrofit loan program

The Canada Greener Homes Grant program, first launched by the federal government in 2021, provided homeowners with up to $5,000 for energy efficiency retrofits and up to $600 to help cover the cost of home energy evaluations. Homeowners were reimbursed after paying for the expenses.

The $2.6-billion program was supposed to last until 2027, or until funds were depleted, but the program closed in early 2024. The government had promised to bring it back.

Ottawa took heat from homeowners and the retrofitting industry for promising a program that would last for several years and then allowing it to lapse for nearly two years.

Senior reporter, Parliamentary Correspondent

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