LiveSmart BC News Grants 2009 - BC Government Rebates

BC homeowners qualify
for Canada grants

While the BC government’s LiveSmart BC program has allocated its grant budget, BC homeowners can still get LiveSmart BC-subsidized energy assessments and up to $5,000 in tax-free grants from the Canadian government’s ecoENERGY program.

On August 16, 2009, the BC government announced it had fully allocated the $60 million budget for its LiveSmart BC energy renovation grants. These grants are still available to homeowners who had their first energy audit before August 16, 2009.

BC energy assessments

LiveSmart BC, together with local energy providers, continues to subsidize the cost of initial home energy assessment for BC homeowners, regardless of when they have their energy assessment.

Homeowners must have an energy assessment before and after conducting their energy-saving renovations and improvements, if they want to qualify for government grants, rebates and incentives.

Energy-saving renovations helps save money on home heating and cooling costs.

Peter Moffatt, President of Building Insight Technologies

BC energy audit

Homeowners who have their first energy assessment after August 16, 2009, qualify for up to $5,000 in renovation grants from the Government of Canada’s ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program.

“Energy-saving renovations helps save money on home heating and cooling costs,” says Peter Moffatt, president of Building Insight Technologies, a leading energy audit company. “By reducing your home’s energy use, you can make a difference to your budget and to the environment.”

Solar hot water & toilets — BC

BC homeowners also qualify for additional tax-free rebates for installing solar hot water systems and low-flush toilets. These rebates are in addition to the Canadian ecoENERGY grant amounts.

More government ecoENERGY grants funding

More Energy Grant News: Canada

LiveSmart BC rebates

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.*

Renovation
Click here for more on renovation

Get combined tax-free BC rebates of up to $7,000 and more for:

Home Renovations — Windows, doors, insulation, and air sealing
Equipment — Furnaces, heat pumps, hot water heaters, boilers, geothermal heating, solar panel hot water systems, HRV, low-flush toilets, and more ...

BC rebates — conditions

Some conditions apply.

Home energy audit — To qualify for Government of BC LiveSmart rebates you must get an ecoENERGY home energy audit before and after upgrades to your BC home. You will receive grants for improvements started after your first audit.
Renovations — You can complete the improvements yourself or hire a BC 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.
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.
Existing homes only — Newly built BC homes occupied for less than six months do not qualify for 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 LiveSmart BC rebates.
Local codes & by-laws — All improvements or renovations must meet BC 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 LiveSmart BC rebates any new equipment installed in your BC 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 BC house, or any specific renovations you are planning, you should request clarification from the Governments of BC. BC homeowners are responsible for clarifying that their house and planned improvements are eligible for LiveSmart BC rebates before undertaking any upgrade work and related expenses.
Grant table — For a more complete list of eligiblity criteria see BC Rebate List.

BC rebates & incentives

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 BC homeowners use “tax credit” to describe a government grant program like 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 provide 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 BC home energy audit, you’ll receive information on Government of BC LiveSmart home energy renovation rebates.

Enjoy all the benefits

Do it right

Each British Columbia 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 certified BC energy advisor, you’ll make the energy renovations or "retrofits" that are right for your BC home — and help improve your energy costs and the BC environment.

Energy renovations help ...

Save energy — Your BC 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 BC winters, cooler in BC 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 BC 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 British Columbia, you also make a difference to the rest of the world. You’ll help address important global issues like ...

Climate change – Energy renovations help reduce your BC home’s greenhouse gas emissions, while protecting you from the effects of climate change and extreme weather.
Energy security – By reducing your BC 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 BC homeowners like you are saving thousands of dollars and tonnes of greenhouse gases every year, by making the right energy-saving home renovations. British Columbia homeowners can make a difference.