Ontario Home Energy Rebates
There’s good news for Ontario homeowners. Enbridge Gas and Canada Greener Homes Grant have partnered to facilitate rebates for energy-efficient upgrades carried out by homeowners. You will be counting those kilowatt hours delivered from the sun as the government has stepped in to help get you started. This includes foundation insulation, attic insulation, heat pumps, renewable energy systems, etc. The Greener Homes Grant and Enbridge HER+ (home efficiency rebate plus) are administered by Enbridge Gas and Natural Resources Canada.
Before you begin making energy-efficient upgrades and bringing more value to your home, we recommend undergoing home energy assessments with a registered energy advisor in Ontario. This article will discuss how you can become eligible for home energy-efficient rebates, the category of residents who qualify for this, and so many more.
Steps to Becoming Eligible for Home Energy Efficiency Rebates
To be a beneficiary of the home efficiency rebate, do the following;
- Undergo a home energy assessment with registered energy advisors
- Obtain a report with suggested recommendations for home upgrades
- Carry out one of those upgrades
- Contact the energy advisor and book a second assessment session to follow up on the progress
- Obtain your rebate cheque, which may include up to $600 for energy assessments
Ontario Residents Who Are Eligible for the Home Efficiency Rebate
The eligibility criteria include the following:
- Enbridge gas customers – this includes the Enbridge gas customer that lives in their primary residence and those who own a home but reside elsewhere
- Remote communities – Communities without access to grid power or gas. These communities should comprise at least ten residences in a long-term or lifelong settlement
- Non-Enbridge gas customers: Eligible homeowners who use gas from other companies to run their heating system
- Multi-residential properties – This includes multi-purpose and low-rise buildings
Benefits of the Canada Greener Homes Grant for Ontarians
These home energy-efficient rebates come with certain upsides, including:
Save Money
Thanks to this program, eligible homeowners can reduce costs and save a significant sum of money on upgrading their buildings to energy-efficient homes and energy bills.
It Enhances the Property Value
Making energy-efficient upgrades through the Canada Greener Homes Grant or the home efficiency rebate plus makes such buildings hotcakes on the market because they will be more marketable.
It Makes Homes More Efficient
Ontario homeowners enjoy the benefits of their remodelled homes, which may include eligible retrofits such as a smart thermostat, an efficient water heating unit, high-performance windows, floor insulation, attic insulation, improved air quality, and so on.
Environment-friendliness
This program encourages Ontario homeowners to make their properties more eco-friendly, saving energy automatically and reducing their carbon footprint, which is more sustainable for the environment.
Canada Greener Homes Grant for Ontario Residents
Let’s talk about the program for some of the eligible retrofits;
Ground Source Heat Pump
You may be eligible for a rebate on your upgrade. To qualify, simply have a professional handle the installation and ask them to sign an attestation form confirming that the work was completed according to CSA standards. The ground source heat pump must be on the list of eligible ground heat pump units. This list excludes water-to-water, direct expansion, and brine-to-water systems. Homeowners must purchase the heat pump within Canada; if online, it must be from a distributor in Canada. The heat pump’s capacity must not be more than 40 KW.
For the funding, Canada Greener Homes Grant will award $3k-$5k for a primary residence, Enbridge Gas will award $4k-$6.5k for both primary and non-primary residences, and off-grid community rebates will award $3.9k-$5k depending on the system installed.
Air Source Heat Pump
The energy-efficiency program works for a first-time installation of the heat pump unit or a replacement of the current heat pump. The eligibility criteria entail that a licensed professional must install the system and be capable of dispersing heat energy across the entire conditioned space of the building, including the basement. It also includes placing a warm air supply indoor head and supply outlet on each floor. Next, you have to ask the contractor to sign an attestation firm that verifies that the installed heat pump can distribute heat to the entire house. The air source heat pump must be among the list of eligible products and should be purchased within Canada.
The Canada Greener Homes Grant offers $4k-$5k for primary residences, Enbridge Gas offers $5,250 – $6,000 for both primary and non-primary residences, and off-grid communities rebates offer $5k.
Exposed Floor Insulation
For a grant to be offered for this energy-efficiency upgrade, the entire exposed floor has to be insulated with a minimum dimension or square footage of 120 square feet. It could be one large floor or several smaller floors that can make up the minimum square footage. This area includes floors above unheated spaces and overhangs but excludes crawlspaces.
The Canada Greener Homes Grant offers up to $350, Enbridge Gas offers up to $450 for both primary and non-primary residences, and off-grid communities offer up to $455.
Cathedral Ceiling or Flat Roof Insulation
For Ontario homeowners to be eligible for the home energy-efficiency rebates, they must insulate at least 20% of their flat roofs, cathedral ceilings, or attics. You also have to add insulation in the same spot during the period of the home energy assessment. The amount you earn for the eligible upgrade is determined by the percentage of attic insulation you do. This means an insulation of 50% of your attic space will attract 50% of the full rebate amount.
For attic insulation, Canada Greener Homes Grant offers rebates ranging from $250 – $1,800, Enbridge Gas offers between $325 and $2,350 for both primary and non-primary residences, and off-grid communities rebates offer $325 – $2,340.
For flat roof or cathedral ceiling insulation, Canada Greener Homes Grant offers rebates from $250 – $600, Enbridge Gas offers $325 – $800, and off-grid communities offer rebates ranging from $325 – $780.
Crawlspace
To get home energy-efficiency rebates for the crawlspace, you should add insulation to the crawlspace headers, walls, and ceilings. It’s important to note that Ontario residents living in end-unit row houses or semi-detached buildings won’t be eligible for the full amount of the rebate. The most they can get is 75%. A similar situation applies to those who reside in middle-unit row houses; the most they can get is 50%.
Canada Greener Homes Grant offers rebates ranging from $800 – $1,300, Enbridge Gas offers rebates ranging from $1,050 – $1,700, and off-grid communities rebates offer $1,040 – $1,690.
Window or Door
To be eligible for rebates for this upgrade, leave the Energy Star labels on your doors and windows at least until your post-retrofit assessment has been carried out. A new window or door installation alongside the window or door frame replacement for the existing ones is eligible for the rebate. However, sash, glass, or door replacements without a frame is not eligible.
Rough openings for sliding doors or windows are eligible if surrounded by solid materials or framing members, but skylights aren’t. You must purchase the windows or door frames within Canada or, again, if online, from a distributor in Canada. Also, the windows or sliding doors must be on the list of eligible products.
Canada Greener Homes Grant offers rebates ranging from $125 – $250, Enbridge Gas offer from $175 – $325, and off-grid communities rebates from $162.5 – $325.
Renewable Energy Systems
The solar panel and inverter must be CSA certified and purchased within Canada. The solar panel system should have a minimum power generation capacity of 1KW. Eligibility covers the solar system regardless of its type (grid-tied or off-grid system), but building permits will be for both. If the homeowner settles for an off-grid solar system, the system has to be installed in concordance with the building and electrical codes or regulations that apply to the area.
We recommend getting a professional solar contractor to assess your home and certify it is suitable for solar installations before meeting with a registered energy advisor for home energy assessments. The solar PV system will be eligible for the grant or rebate as long as it’s a first-time installation or an addition to an existing power-generation system.
Canada Greener Homes Grant and Enbridge Gas offer $1k per kilowatt rebates, while off-grid communities rebates offer $1,300 per kilowatt.
Foundation Insulation
To be eligible for a rebate on this project, you must insulate at least 20% of the basement wall surface area. You must also seal and insulate at least 80% of the basement header surface area and at least 50% of the basement slab area. Residents living in middle-unit row houses can only receive 50% of the full rebate amount, while those living in semi-detached houses and end-row unit houses will receive only 75%.
Canada Greener Homes Grant offers rebates that range from $240 – $1,500, Enbridge Gas offer rebates ranging from $325 – $2,000 for both primary and non-primary residences, and off-grid communities rebates offer between $312 and $1,950.
