Canada’s own “Cash for Caulkers”
program started in 2003
The United States’
proposed “Cash for Caulkers” program received a lot
of attention when it was announced in President Barak Obama’s 2010
State of the Union Address.
But the idea of providing incentives to homeowners for making
energy-savings improvements is largely a Canadian innovation.
In fact, the Cash for Caulkers idea takes its cues from a highly successful
Canadian initiative that has roots as far back as 1998.
The EnerGuide for Houses rating system, which measures a home’s
energy efficiency, began in 1998 as a Canadian government initiative to help
homeowners determine the best ways to renovate their homes for
improved energy efficiency.
EnerGuide for Houses
In August, 2003, the Canadian
government announced the EnerGuide for Houses
homeowner grant program. To encourage homeowners to
participate, the program gave grants of up to $3,348 per house to
improve overall scores based on the EnerGuide scale of 0-100.
Administered by Natural Resources Canada
(NRCan),
the program used government-certified energy advisors
to conduct assessments of individual homes’ energy efficiency, before and
after the recommended improvements. Grants were based on the amount
of improvement measured.
ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes
In May, 2006, the newly elected Conservative government ended
the EnerGuide for Houses program, and replaced it with the
ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program in January, 2007. This
expanded energy retrofit program gave homeowners up to
$5,000 in grants for specific upgrades, such as
high-efficiency furnaces, hot water heaters
and insulation.
In January 2009, ecoENERGY Retrofit received
an additional $300 million to support an estimated
200,000 additional home retrofits.
In December 2009, the federal government allocated an additional $205
million from the Clean Energy Fund to finance up to an additional 120,000 retrofits.
And in the 2010 federal budget, Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty
announced an additional $80 million for the program, allowing another estimated
60,000 homeowners to receive energy improvement grants.
In addition, homeowners who have already received a grant
through the ecoENERGY program can now receive additional grants
for making further energy-saving renovations to
their homes. Homeowners must contact their energy assessment service
provider to re-register in the program, and must make their
additional renovations and improvements before March 31, 2011.
Ontario and British Columbia
Ontario’s Home
Energy Savings Program, which received a $178 million
budget increase in late 2009, continues to match federal eco
ENERGY
grant amounts for Ontario homeowners making
energy
-saving improvements to their homes.

In British Columbia,
the
LiveSmart BC program provided provincial government rebates for 40,000
home retrofits. In August, 2009, the BC government announced that the
LiveSmart BC program’s funding had been fully allocated.
In its 2010 budget, however, the province announced
an additional $35 million for the program.
Homestar — USA
In December, 2009, the United States began to follow Canada’s lead
by proposing legislation to create a program that was quickly nicknamed
“Cash for Caulkers.” The program, which was mentioned in U.S.
President Barak Obama’s 2010 State of the Union address, offers
immediate point-of-purchase rebates for energy-efficient
products and services. It also offers up 50 percent immediate rebates
(up to $1,500) for “Silver Star” energy-efficient
renovations made to U.S. homes, and additional “Gold Star”
rebates of up to $3,000 for meeting energy-savings targets
as measured by home energy audits.
Home improvement work would need to be performed by certified contractors,
and independent quality assurance would be required for the highest
level of grants. The law enacting the program, the Home Star Energy Retrofit
Act of 2010, has yet to be passed by the United States government.
For more about the ecoENERGY
Retrofit-Homes initiative, the Ontario Home Energy
Savings program, LiveSmart BC, and more local grants and rebates,
or to book a qualifying home energy audit,
call toll-free:
1-877-732-9888.
- Alert
- Energy grants on this site have expired
- To find current rebates,
click here or
here
- To find energy raters,
click here or
here
- *
HomePerformance has temporarily suspended our energy audit service.*
Grants + rebates
You can receive Canadian government grants + Ontario or BC rebates
for a shopping list of home energy renovations.
-
Furnace –
install a new high-efficiency gas or oil ENERGY STAR
qualified furnace
-
Windows & doors –
look for ENERGY STAR qualified windows, doors
and skylights for your climate zone
-
Insulation –
upgrade insulation levels in your attic, roof, walls,
basement, crawl space,
and exposed floors
-
Air conditioner –
replace existing window air
conditioner(s) or central
air conditioner system with ENERGY STAR qualified units
-
Hot water heater –
upgrade to an instantaneous or high-efficiency gas
water heater
-
Heat pump –
enjoy the heating and air conditioning benefits of an
energy-efficient air-source
heat pump system
-
Geothermal –
go geothermal with big incentives for ground- or
water-source heat pumps
-
Solar –
go solar with a solar-panel powered hot water system
-
Boiler –
install a high-efficiency gas or oil ENERGY
STAR qualified boiler
-
HRV –
improve you home’s air quality with a
heat recovery ventilator or HRV
-
Toilet –
save water with new low-flush,
dual-flush water-efficient toilets
-
Air sealing –
improve the air tightness of your home
And there’s more.
Government grants
Take advantage of Canadian government grant + Ontario or British Columbia
rebate programs for your home energy renovations.
-
Canada ecoENERGY grants —
Canadian homeowners
can get up to $5,000
in home improvement grants from the Canadian government’s
ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program,
which is in effect until March 31, 2012.
Click here for more
-
British Columbia rebates —
BC homeowners can qualify for up to $7,000
and more in home energy grants through the BC government’s
LiveSmart BC rebate program, which is in effect
until March 31, 2013.
Click here for more
-
Ontario grants —
Ontario homeowners
can get up to $5,000
in home improvement grants through the Canadian government’s
ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program,
which is in effect until March 31, 2012.
Click here for more
-
Home Energy Audits —
To qualify for Government of Canada ecoENERGY grants,
or LiveSmart BC rebates,
homeowners must get a home energy audit
before and after
their home improvement work.
Get up to $150 cash back on the cost of your first
energy audit with a rebate from
Ontario’s Home Energy Audit program.
In British Columbia, the LiveSmart BC program also
subsidizes the cost of your first home energy audit.
Click here for more
-
Home Renovation Tax Credit —
Many Canadians use “tax credit”
to describe grant programs like Government of Canada ecoENERGY
grants and LiveSmart BC rebates.
The original Home Renovation Tax Credit
(HRTC) expired in 2010.
With today’s 2011 “tax credit” programs
there’s no need to wait until you’ve filed
your annual income tax return to receive a home renovation tax credit.
Your tax-free grant money will be sent within 90 days of
your follow-up energy audit.
Click here for more
Government grants — conditions
Some conditions apply.
-
Home energy audit —
To qualify for Canada ecoENERGY grants
and LiveSmart BC rebates
you must get an ecoENERGY home energy assessment
before and after your upgrades.
You will receive grants for improvements started
after your first audit.
- Renovations —
You can complete the improvements yourself or hire
a contractor. We recommend you retain copies of
all documentation including invoices,
receipts, photos and product literature to be sure you get
full credit for all improvements.
- Canada ecoENERGY —
You need to apply for Canada ecoENERGY grants
by completing your follow-up
(post-retrofit) audit by March 31, 2012.
Use the opportunity to complete as many upgrades as possible.
- LiveSmart BC —
You need to apply for LiveSmart BC rebates
by completing your follow-up
(post-retrofit) audit within 18 months of
your first audit, or by March 31, 2013, whichever comes first.
- Combined grants —
If you want to take advantage of combined Canada ecoENERGY
grants and LiveSmart BC rebates, we recommend that you complete
all upgrade work and have your follow-up
(post-retrofit) audit completed before the Canada
ecoENERGY
deadline of March 31, 2012.
- Existing homes only —
Newly built homes occupied for less than six months
do not qualify for Government of Canada ecoENERGY
grants. Once a newly
built home has been occupied for more than six months, there is no limit to
how old a home can be to qualify for Canada ecoENERGY
rebates.
- Local codes & by-laws —
All improvements or renovations
must meet provincial building codes and by-laws.
Pay special attention to the placement of vapour
barriers when adding insulation to the building envelope.
Before undertaking improvements
or renovations, find out about the appropriate
products and installation techniques to ensure that your home’s
building envelope and indoor air quality
will not be compromised.
- Higher efficiency —
To qualify for Canada ecoENERGY grants and
LiveSmart BC rebates, any new equipment installed in your home
must have a higher efficiency than that of the original
equipment it replaces.
- Questions about eligibility —
If you are not certain about the eligibility of your house,
or any specific renovations you are planning, you should
request clarification from the the Governments of Canada
and BC.
Homeowners are responsible for clarifying that their house
and planned improvements are eligible for
Canada ecoENERGY grants and LiveSmart BC rebates
before undertaking any upgrade work and related expenses.
- Grant tables —
For a more complete list of eligiblity criteria see
Canada Grants List and
BC Rebate List.
More rebates & incentives
Ontario rebates
Ontario homeowners can get cash back on their first
ecoENERGY audit with a Home Energy Audit
rebate from the Ontario government.
- Home Energy Audit program —
Rebate of up to $150 of the cost of your first
energy audit.
- Up to $150 —
To be eligible for an Ontario Home Energy Audit rebate
you must receive an ecoENERGY audit
from a certified energy advisor.
- You are not required to carry out a
renovation to your Ontario home to receive the Ontario
Home Energy Audit rebate.
- Your advisor applies for the Ontario
Home Energy Audit rebate on your behalf.
Canada ecoENERGY grants — Ontario
Ontario homeowners can qualify for
tax-free rebates
as part of the Government of Canada’s Economic
Action Plan.
-
Canada ecoENERGY grants —
Get rebates of up to $5,000 for home energy
improvements from the Government of Canada.
Click here
- You begin —
by completing an ecoENERGY assessment with a certified
energy advisor. The Ontario government provides a rebate of up to $150
of the cost of your first energy audit.
- Your advisor —
will apply for Canada ecoENERGY
grants on your behalf, after you have
completed your energy-efficient renovations
and your Ontario home has been re-assessed. You have until
March 31, 2012 to make some or all of the
improvements your advisor recommends for your Ontario home, and
complete a second audit.
-
Canada Grants List — Shows tax-free grant
amounts from the Government of Canada.
Click here
LiveSmart BC rebates
BC homeowners can qualify for
tax-free rebates
from the Government of British Columbia.
-
LiveSmart BC rebates —
Get tax-free rebates of up to 7,000
and more for home energy improvements from the BC government.
Click here
-
LiveSmart BC audit —
The BC government subsidizes the cost of your first
home energy audit. This subsidy is subject to available funds.
Click here
- Other BC rebates —
Vancouver homeowners may qualify for a
$3,000 rebate from the City of Vancouver Solar Homes Pilot
when installing
solar
hot water systems. There are additional
rebates for low-flow
toilets, and even
more grants, rebates and incentives from local
governments and energy utilities.
- You begin —
by completing an ecoENERGY assessment with a certified
energy advisor. The BC government subsidizes the cost of
your first home energy audit.
- Your advisor —
will apply for LiveSmart BC rebates
on your behalf, after you have completed your
energy-efficient renovations
and your BC home has been re-assessed. You have
to make some or all of the improvements your advisor
recommends for your BC home, and
complete a follow-up (post-retrofit) energy
audit within 18 months of your initial energy audit or
before March 31, 2013, whichever comes first.
Home Renovation Tax Credit
Many Canadians use “tax credit” to describe
government grant programs like Government of Canada
ecoENERGY grants and LiveSmart BC rebates.
The original Home Renovation Tax Credit
(HRTC)
expired in 2010.
-
2009 income tax credit —
The original
Home Renovation Tax Credit allowed families to claim a credit
of 15 per cent of home improvement costs, between
$1,000 and $10,000, on their 2009 income tax return.
Each Canadian family could claim up to $10,000
in home improvement costs, for a credit of up to
$1,350 per family.
-
2011 ‘tax credit’ programs —
Newer programs can provide combined government grants of up to
$7,000 and more. And there’s no need to wait until
you’ve filed your annual income tax return to receive a
home renovation tax credit. Your tax-free grant
money will be sent within 90 days of your
follow-up energy audit.
Your advisor can help
By choosing a HomePerformance
Energy Advisor to do your home energy audit,
you’ll receive information on government
home energy renovation grants and rebates, and other
energy improvement incentives available in your area.
Enjoy all the benefits
Do it right
Each Canadian home has its own specific
energy-savings needs,
and yours is no different. The right renovations
add up to big savings. By following the expert
advice of a Canada-certified energy advisor,
you’ll make the energy renovations
or "retrofits" that are right for your home —
and help improve your energy costs and the Canadian environment.
Energy renovations help ...
- Save energy —
Your home won’t need as much energy to stay comfortable.
- Save money —
Less energy used = lower energy costs for you.
-
Grants + Rebates —
Qualify for tax-free government grants for
home energy renovation, sent directly to you.
And that’s not all.
Here are more benefits ...
- Greater comfort –
Your home will be warmer in Canadian winters,
cooler in Canadian summers.
- Better health –
You’ll eliminate indoor health concerns like
chills and drafts, and keep your home free of airborne
pollutants and pollen.
- Increased home value –
By making energy renovations, you’ll
increase the resale value of your home. An
official Canada EnerGuide label proves you’ve
done the work.
- Simpler home maintenance –
No more scrubbing moldy windowsills! Keep airborne
dust and dirt outside where it belongs.
When you improve your home in Canada, you make a difference
to the rest of the world. You’ll help address important
global issues like ...
-
Climate change –
Energy renovations help reduce your Canadian
home’s greenhouse gas emissions, while protecting
you from the effects of climate change and extreme
weather.
-
Energy security –
By reducing your Canadian home’s energy use,
you’ll be less deeply affected by energy price
fluctuations and supply interruptions.
And there’s even more. Click here to learn how
Canadian
homeowners like you are saving thousands of
dollars and tonnes of greenhouse gases every year,
by making the right energy-saving home renovations.
Canadians can make a difference.
Learn more about
Renovation Grants in Canada ...
Home Renovation
|
Equipment
|
To qualify you need a Canadian
home energy audit before your renovations.
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