The well-received greener homes program is making a comeback in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and British Columbia after a break.
Environment, Climate Change and Nature Minister Julie Dabrusin and Energy Minister Tim Hodgson announced the federal program’s return on Monday morning for the four provinces.
“Over $500 million in funding, $300 million of which is federal, will be directed to help over 35,000 low- and median-income households install heat pumps, better insulation, improved air sealing and other upgrades at no cost, which will reduce their energy bills and lower their household emissions,” according to Monday’s news release.
The previous version of this program was available to homeowners until it ran out of funds. This updated version will target low-to-median-income households and is open to both homeowners and renters.
Now called the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program (CGHAP), it has already launched in Manitoba. The draft news release did not mention when Canadians in the five other provinces and three territories could access it.
An interview with a senior federal source who knows about Monday’s announcement revealed that talks are ongoing with other jurisdictions.
The government’s website also states CGHAP “will provide dedicated support to regional Indigenous governments and representative organizations” with funds coming from existing agreements managed by Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.
Provinces Will Manage Program
This program will now be under a new federal department, Environment, Climate Change Canada, with administration handled by the provinces instead of Ottawa.
The news release indicated that it will be delivered “in co-ordination with all four provinces as well as Hydro-Québec, B. C. Hydro, Fortis BC and Efficiency One,” based in Nova Scotia. It didn’t provide details about eligibility or how much assistance each household might receive.
Dabrusin and Hodgson made the announcement during the International Energy Agency’s Global Conference on Energy Efficiency in Montreal. The senior federal source also confirmed that Dabrusin will now oversee CGHAP along with energy efficiency initiatives and electric vehicle charging efforts.
The Canada Greener Homes Grant program was initially launched by the federal government in 2021 offering homeowners up to $5,000 for energy efficiency retrofits along with home energy evaluations. They could also get up to $600 for evaluation costs. Homeowners had to spend upfront before getting reimbursed.
This $2.6-billion initiative was intended to last until 2027 or until funds ran out but closed early in 2024 after funds were exhausted; however, there’s been a commitment from the government to reinstate it.
Ottawa faced criticism from homeowners and those in the retrofitting industry for pledging a multi-year program only for it to lapse for nearly two years without any support.
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