Eligibility criteria
To qualify for the Canada Greener Homes Initiative, you must meet the eligibility criteria.
On this page
Who is eligible?
All homeowners in Canada can participate in the initiative. Only one homeowner per home can register.
You must:
- prove ownership by providing a property tax bill number (This number can be found on municipal property tax documents.)
- prove the property is your primary residence with a valid piece of government-issued ID with the matching address, such as a driver’s licence
If the property tax bill number is not available, alternative documents may be accepted (e.g. for rural areas, Newfoundland and Labrador, First Nations on-reserve).
The following groups are also eligible applicants under the initiative:
- Indigenous governments or organizations (e.g. band councils, land claim organizations)
- housing management bodies and other representative or Indigenous service delivery organizations with formal partnerships with Indigenous governments or organizations
These applicants are eligible to register multiple homes, including homes that are not the owner’s primary residence. The homes registered must be owned by the applicant and be occupied by Indigenous households.
Indigenous governments and organizations that want to retrofit a large number of homes that they own (e.g. community-scale) may submit a single application to streamline the registration process and access program funds through one funding agreement. They can apply by using the form in the Application Guide for Indigenous Governments and Organizations Retrofitting Multiple Homes through the Greener Homes Program.
Application guide for Indigenous governments and organizations (PDF, 232 KB)
Other programs for Indigenous homeowners
Note: Individual Indigenous homeowners can register online by clicking the green Apply button at the top of this webpage.
If you live in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik and Nunatsiavut or in an off-grid community, you can find more details on grants for your region.
Eligibility considerations
I already had an EnerGuide evaluation and/or completed retrofits.
When you apply, you will have an option to select that you already completed a pre-retrofit evaluation, and you will be directed to the next step.
- If you conducted an evaluation before April 1, 2020, you need a new evaluation.
- If you conducted an evaluation between April 1, 2020, and November 30, 2020, you can use the evaluation for the initiative but you will not get a grant for that evaluation. To receive the grant, your eligible home retrofits must have occurred on or after December 1, 2020.
- If you conducted an evaluation between December 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021, you can receive the grant for both the evaluations and for the retrofits if you complete at least one eligible retrofit on or after December 1, 2020. In this case, the retrofit does not need to be recommended by your energy advisor in their report.
- If the evaluations occurred on or after July 1, 2021, you can receive a grant for both the evaluations and the retrofits if you complete at least one retrofit that is both eligible and recommended by your energy advisor in their report.
For residents of Quebec and Nova Scotia who have already participated in either the RénoClimat program (Quebec) or the Home Energy Assessment (Nova Scotia), your respective provincial entity is working directly with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to identify eligible participants. If you are identified as an eligible homeowner, you will be contacted by NRCan. To participate in the Canada Greener Homes Initiative, you must register with your provincial program first.
My home is newly built.
New homes are not eligible for the grant. Newly built homes are defined as homes that are no more than six months old, based on the date of occupancy by the first homeowner. This criterion will apply to homeowners at the time of application.
I am a new owner of an existing home.
Dwellings will be bought and sold throughout the duration of the initiative. You can also be eligible to retrofit your newly purchased home under the initiative. However, you need a new home evaluation to be eligible. Any evaluation done by a previous owner is no longer valid.
You can find out if you are eligible for the initiative before you submit an application. This eligibility tool helps you determine if:
- you are an eligible candidate
- your home is eligible
- the retrofit you want to undertake is eligible
Check your eligibility
Find other incentives to help you make changes at home
Canada Greener Homes Loan
This loan initiative is offered alongside the Canada Greener Homes Grant. It can help you finance and complete major retrofits to your home with an interest-free loan of up to $40, 000 with a 10-year repayment term.
Learn more about the Canada Greener Homes Loan
Other initiatives
When it comes to energy in Canada, where you live matters. If you are not eligible for this initiative or if you are looking to make more energy upgrades, take advantage of rebates being offered by our partners in your region. Many provinces, territories, municipalities, and non-governmental organizations have initiatives specifically for low-income Canadians.
Find federal affordable housing initiatives. Explore other financial incentives.
