Canada Greener Homes Grant

The Greener Homes Grant, which will be launched on May 27, 2021, would provide up to 700,000 grants of up to $5,000 to Canadian homeowners to execute energy-efficient retrofit repairs to their homes, including insulation upgrades.

The plan was introduced as part of the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, in which Natural Resources Canada was given $2.6 billion over seven years to help Canadian homeowners improve their overall energy efficiency.

As Ontario’s top insulation and building envelope experts, Eco Spray Insulation provides professionally installed insulation and air sealing services that enable homeowners in Ontario to qualify for the Canada Greener Homes Grant.

Eco Spray Insulation can assist you with the Greener Homes Grant process, whether you want to upgrade your attic, exterior walls, crawlspace, basement, garage, exposed floor, or total home air sealing. The Greener Homes Grant can also be used in conjunction with the Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate or other Ontario rebate programs.

Canadians may reduce their overall energy use and carbon impact by improving home energy efficiency and airtightness. The Greener Homes Grant enables Canadians to save money on heating and cooling all year, gain a better understanding of what makes a home energy efficient, and collaborate to build more energy-efficient, sustainable communities.

Eligibility

The Greener Homes Grant is offered to qualifying homeowners across Canada, regardless of where they live.

The Greener Homes Grant is available for the following property types:

• Houses that are single or semi-detached
• Row houses and townhouses are two types of dwellings.
• On a stable base, mobile houses
• Floating homes that are permanently moored
• Multi-unit residential buildings with a low height (provided they are under three stories or 600m2 [6,458ft2] in footprint)
• Mixed-use structures (residential portion only, provided they are under three stories or 600m2 [6,458ft2] in footprint)
• Cottages for all seasons

In addition, the homeowner must be able to demonstrate confirmation of ownership and that the home is registered as their primary residence. The Greener Homes Grant is only available to one homeowner per household.

The Greener Homes Grant is also open to Indigenous governments, organizations, housing management bodies, and other representative organizations (including Indigenous organizations having formal ties with Indigenous governments or organizations).

Indigenous applicants are allowed to submit numerous residences, even if they are not their principal residence. The applicant’s residence must still be his or hers and occupied by an Indigenous family.

Notes & Benefits On The Program

• The Greener Homes Grant covers the cost of pre-and post-work energy audits (EnerGuide evaluations), up to a maximum of $600. The upfront cost is borne by the homeowner.
• The grants listed below also pay the tax portion of your retrofit expenditures, which is a unique feature not found in many rebates or grant programs.
• The federal grants made possible by the Greener Homes Grant are not taxable and do not need to be reported as income.
• After December 1, 2020, homeowners who completed qualifying retrofits and met the qualifying standards will be eligible for the Greener Homes Grant.
• After December 1, 2020, homeowners who solely completed the post-work energy audit are eligible for a maximum reimbursement of $200 for the post-work energy audit.
• The cost of the individual measures as shown on your invoice cannot be exceeded by any grant amounts received via the Greener Homes Program.
  • For example, if your outside wall insulation costs $4,000 but you are only eligible for $5,000 in external wall insulation grants, you will only receive $4,000 in total.

The Procedure

The Greener Homes Grant works similarly to other rebate programs like the Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate in terms of how it works. A pre-work energy audit, at least one energy efficiency retrofit upgrade, and a post-work energy audit after the upgrade are all required to qualify for the Greener Homes Grant.

For our Ontario consumers, Eco Spray Insulation advises the following path:

1. To maximize savings, complete a free assessment with Eco Spray Insulating for an insulation quote.
2. Fill out the Greener Homes Grant Portal’s online registration form. This is the homeowner’s responsibility.
3. An Energy Auditor will conduct a pre-work home energy audit (EnerGuide evaluation) for you. As part of the grant closing, the cost of the pre-and post-work energy audits, up to $600, will be refunded.
4. Complete at least one energy efficiency upgrade that is both eligible and suggested in the energy audit report (two retrofits if stacking with the Home Efficiency Rebate).
5. An Energy Auditor will conduct a post-work home energy audit (EnerGuide evaluation) for you.
6. To complete all requirements and obtain your refund, upload all papers online using the Greener Homes Grant portal.
7. Until March 31, 2028, keep all paperwork.

Start Step 1: Book a Free Assessment with Eco Spray Insulation Today

Grant Amounts for Insulation and Air Sealing

• Up to $600 for home energy audits before and after work (EnerGuide evaluations).
• Attic/ceiling insulation can cost up to $1,800.
• Exterior wall insulation can cost up to $5,000.
• Exposed floor insulation might cost up to $350.
• Basement slab insulation might cost up to $400.
• Upgrades to air sealing can cost up to $1,000.
• Basement wall insulation might cost up to $1,500.
• Crawl space wall insulation costs up to $1,300, and crawl space ceiling insulation costs up to $800. If a homeowner is additionally insulating their basement, they can get a maximum of $1,500 for both sections.

Detailed Grant Amounts for Insulation and Air Sealing

Attic & Ceiling Insulation

Upgrades to attic or ceiling insulation that insulate a minimum of 20% of the total area of the attic or ceiling can earn you up to $1,800.

Exterior Wall Insulation

Outside wall insulation modifications that insulate a minimum of 20% of the exterior wall area (excluding foundation walls, which are a separate grant – see Basement/Foundation Insulation below) can earn you up to $5,000.

The entire reimbursement amount is prorated based on the overall percentage of a homeowner’s wall that is insulated. You will earn 50 percent of the values listed below if you insulate 50% of your wall area. 100% of the wall space must be insulated to get the full levels listed below.

The maximum grant eligibility for homeowners of a semi-detached or end-unit row house is 75 percent of the below values. The maximum grant amount for a middle-unit row house is 50% of the values shown below. Insulating the walls between separate units does not qualify for any grants.

Basement/Foundation Insulation

Basement or foundation wall insulation that insulates a minimum of 20% of the foundation wall area, including the basement and crawls space walls, can earn you up to $1,500.

The grants listed below are prorated to a maximum of $1,500 for homes with both a basement and a crawlspace. The grants listed below can be pooled to raise the overall grant amount. For example, a homeowner can get both grant amounts by improving basement wall insulation and insulating the entire basement header.

The maximum grant eligibility for homeowners of a semi-detached or end-unit row house is 75 percent of the below values. The maximum grant amount for a middle-unit row house is 50% of the values shown below. Insulating the walls between separate units does not qualify for any grants.

Crawl Space Insulation

Insulation for crawl space walls, headers, and ceilings is eligible for a grant of up to $1,300. To get the below amounts, the whole crawlspace area described in your home energy audit must be insulated. If you’re insulating your basement as well, the total grant offered is $1,500 for both the basement and crawlspace.

The maximum grant eligibility for homeowners of a semi-detached or end-unit row house is 75 percent of the below values. The maximum grant amount for a middle-unit row house is 50% of the values shown below.

Garage/Exposed Floor Insulation

A $350 award is available for adding at least R-20 to the total exposed floor surface, as long as the exposed floor area is at least 120 square feet (11 square meters). Overhangs and floors over unheated spaces, such as unheated garages, are eligible for this incentive. Crawlspaces are a different grant (see Crawl Space Insulation above).

Air Sealing Upgrades

Air sealing renovations that increase the airtightness of your house, as determined by your pre-and post-work energy audits, are eligible for up to $1,000 in funding.

The airtightness target for your property will be determined by the Renovation Upgrade Report (RUR) obtained after your pre-and post-work energy upgrades. You can receive higher grant values for exceeding the airtightness target as indicated in your Renovation Upgrade Report by having a competent business like Eco Spray Insulation execute air sealing upgrades in addition to your insulation improvements.