Step 2A. Pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation

The Canada Greener Homes Grant is no longer accepting new applicants. Homeowners who are already participating are encouraged to proceed in a timely manner with their retrofits and will continue to be eligible for funding and support through the Canada Greener Homes portal.

If you are an Ontario, Quebec or Nova Scotia homeowner participating in the Home Efficiency Rebate Plus, the Rénoclimat or the Home Energy Assessment program, please contact your provincial program for more information.

The Canada Greener Homes Loan and the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program remain open. Thank you for your interest.

To be eligible for the Canada Greener Homes Grant, you must complete the entire retrofit journey.

As part of the grant process, you must arrange two EnerGuide evaluations: a pre-retrofit evaluation and a post-retrofit evaluation. An energy advisor who is registered by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) will conduct the evaluations.

The pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation provides expert advice on what retrofits make the most sense for your home. It will also help you understand how to improve the energy performance of your home. For example, if you are thinking of installing solar panels, the evaluation will help you understand how to conserve more of the renewable energy you are producing at home.

Note: Ensure that your energy advisor evaluates the potential energy efficiency improvements listed on eligible retrofits page.

1. Schedule your pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation

As part of the application process, you will have the opportunity to select a service organization to conduct the pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation. You may research service organizations that are delivering EnerGuide evaluations in your area to find the right fit for you.

After you choose a service organization, their representative will contact you to schedule an evaluation.

What is a service organization?

Service organizations are companies that deliver EnerGuide evaluations and work with energy advisors registered with NRCan.

Cost of your EnerGuide evaluation

You will need to pay up front for your pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation.

The prices vary across Canada and are dependent on factors such as the location and size of a home. Homeowners can get up to $600 as a maximum contribution toward the total cost of their pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluations. Homeowners will pay up front for their evaluations. Remember to keep your receipts.

In some cases, the maximum grant amount for the two evaluations will not cover the full cost of the evaluations.

What happens if I do not hear from my service organization?

Note that because of the very high interest in the Canada Greener Homes Grant, the response times may vary, and our delivery network is working hard to keep up with demand. Homeowners may also follow-up with their service organization about the status of their application if they have not been contacted or if the evaluation has not been scheduled in a few weeks. Homeowners may choose to call one or more of the service organizations in their area before choosing the company that works best for them.

Get ready for your evaluation:

Transcript

Did you know that buildings, including our homes, account for 18% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions? That’s one of the reasons why we're introducing the Canada Greener Homes Grant.

It will give homeowners up to $5,000 to help them make energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.

These upgrades will make their homes more comfortable to live in, reduce costs and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

But where do you start?

The first step is to have a EnerGuide home evaluation done before the retrofit. Then come the renovations themselves, and finally you'll need a follow up evaluation.

You can register for the program online.

Evaluations are done by independent energy advisors who are registered with Natural Resources Canada through our EnerGuide program.

They generate a report that will help you decide what renovations need to be done and which are eligible for the program or to other provincial programs.

We'll provide up to $600 for the evaluations.

So, what does an energy evaluation look like?

Usually, the energy advisor will start with the exterior of your home, and then evaluate the interior.

They'll note the number, type, and location of all windows and exterior doors.

They'll examine the insulation levels of your walls, ceilings and basement.

They'll record the size and efficiency ratings of your space heating, space cooling and water heating equipment.

They'll look at your home's ventilation equipment.

And finally, they'll measure the level of your home’s airtightness, using a blower door test.

All this data will be compiled using an energy simulation software program that calculates your home’s EnerGuide rating.

You'll get an EnerGuide label, a homeowner information sheet, and a renovation upgrade report to help you make decisions on which upgrades will have the most benefits for your home.

Once your renovations are completed, a post-evaluation will be done to confirm your reimbursement.

That's it! Pretty straightforward, right?

So if you want to save money and help the environment by improving your home, visit the Canada Greener Homes Grant website today to get started.

2. Review the results of the pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation

When the pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation is complete, the energy advisor will provide:

an EnerGuide home rating and a label
a Homeowner Information Sheet, which describes the assessed building components and equipment and how the home’s energy is used
a Renovation Upgrade Report with recommended retrofits for improving your home’s energy performance

This information will help you decide which retrofits to undertake.

Your energy advisor is required to provide you with these reports (i.e. by mail or email). It can take a minimum of 14 days after your pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation for the energy advisor to send them to you.

Your service organization is also required to submit your reports to the online Canada Greener Homes portal. You can access your reports by logging in to the portal.

It can take a minimum of 30 days after your pre-retrofit or post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation for the service organization to submit this information to the portal.

Learn more on what to expect as the results of the evaluation.

Step 2B. (optional) Interest-free loan

At this step you can consider applying for the interest-free loan.

After you have received the pre-retrofit evaluation and decided which retrofits you want to do, you can apply for a loan. This financial option can help you cover the costs of more expensive retrofits that are both eligible and recommended by your energy advisor.

You apply for the loan through the Canada Greener Homes portal, and you must provide at least one estimate of the cost of your retrofit.
You are not eligible for a loan if you have already started or completed your retrofits.

Next step: Retrofit your home

Canada Greener Homes Initiative

Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program: grants up-to-$10,000 (regardless of province), or up-to-$15,000 in participating provinces, plus a $250 bonus (in participating provinces only), to switch from oil heating to an eligible heat pump.
Canada Greener Homes Grant (for existing applicants): grants-up- to-$5,000 to get part of your costs back for eligible home retrofits, plus up to $600 additional grant toward the total costs of your pre and post retrofit EnerGuide home evaluations.
Canada Greener Homes Loan: up to $40,000, interest-free with a repayment term of 10 years.

Learn about the loan

Useful links

We strive to create and maintain a service experience where everyone is treated with dignity, decency and respect. If there is an opportunity for us to improve in any of these areas, please let us know.

Contact Us

Business hours
Monday to Friday: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (Eastern time)

Grant inquiries

Phone: 1-833-674-8282
TTY: 1-800-465-7735
Email: canadagreenerhomesgrant-subventionmaisonsvertes@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Loan inquiries

Phone: 1-866-292-9517
Email: Questions@cghli.ca

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Accessibility
The Canada Greener Homes Initiative is committed to providing a barrier-free application process. We encourage you to advise us of any accommodations you may need. Please contact us either by email, toll-free number or TTY and we will happily assist you.

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Date modified:: 2024-04-05

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