The Canadian federal government is expanding the greener homes retrofit program to additional provinces including Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and British Columbia. This initiative, named the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program (CGHAP), will receive over $500 million in funding, with $300 million coming from the federal government. The program aims to assist more than 35,000 low- and median-income households in installing heat pumps, enhancing insulation, improving air sealing, and implementing other upgrades at no cost. These improvements will help decrease energy bills and reduce household emissions.
The announcement of the program’s expansion was made by Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin and Energy Minister Tim Hodgson during the International Energy Agency’s Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Montreal. Previously, the greener homes grant program had exhausted its funds, leading to the introduction of this successor program. Unlike its predecessor, which was open to all homeowners, the new version will focus on low- to median-income households and will also be accessible to renters.
Efficiency Canada’s Brendan Haley praised the program’s expansion, emphasizing that it addresses a long-standing gap in energy programs that cater to low-income earners and renters. However, he highlighted that details about the program’s adoption by different provinces remain unclear. Discussions are ongoing with various jurisdictions to implement the program effectively.
Under the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program, dedicated support will be provided to regional Indigenous governments and representative organizations. The program, managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada, will be administered by the provinces in collaboration with Hydro-Québec, B.C. Hydro, FortisBC, and EfficiencyOne based in Nova Scotia. Specific eligibility criteria and the maximum amount households can receive have not been disclosed yet.
The original Canada Greener Homes Grant program, launched in 2021 and offering up to $5,000 for energy efficiency retrofits along with financial assistance for home energy evaluations, had an allocated budget of $2.6 billion until 2027. However, the program closed prematurely in early 2024. Following criticism for the abrupt closure, the federal government has reintroduced the program to address energy efficiency needs in Canadian households.