Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative

The Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI) provides funding to organizations (i.e. “retrofit accelerators”) that help building owners in the development of deep retrofits in commercial, institutional, and mid- or high-rise multi-unit residential buildings in Canada, and that drive market transformation in a given region or market segment.

Background

In March 2022, the Government of Canada released its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) – the first under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. This road map outlines a sector-by-sector path for Canada to reach its emissions reduction target of 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

In order to meet its climate targets, the Government of Canada must increase the depth and rate of building retrofits. Retrofits, especially deep retrofits, are complex projects with many moving parts – from project pre-development to financing and project implementation – and involve many players. This complexity generates barriers to the development of deep retrofit projects across Canada.

A new type of organization has been emerging in Canada to help address these challenges. These organizations (i.e. retrofit accelerators) convene and coordinate retrofit actors, support building owners through the deep retrofit process, and drive market transformation in a given region or market segment.

The objectives of the program are to:

• build capacity for, and address barriers to, deep retrofit project development and implementation
• facilitate the development of deep retrofit projects in Canada
• contribute to transforming the buildings sector in support of the Government of Canada’s climate goals

Funding opportunities

The Government of Canada is investing $200 million between 2023 and 2027 for this initiative. The funding will support organizations (i.e. retrofit accelerators) in their work to convene and coordinate retrofit actors, support building owners through the deep retrofit process, and drive market transformation in a given region or market segment.

Specifically, funding from this call for applications will support projects that include all of the four following elements:

• identify and/or aggregate deep retrofit projects
• guide individual building owners in the process of developing and implementing specific retrofit projects
• identify available funding and financing for specific deep retrofit projects
• conduct capacity building activities

Read the application guide

Note: Capital costs (e.g. equipment or materials purchase or lease and other deep retrofit implementation costs) are not an eligible expenditure under this program.

Contact us

If you have questions or comments about the program email drai-iarm@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca