The Government’s Greener Homes Initiative Offers $5000 Worth Grant

Undeniably, inflation is on the rise in the world at this very moment. With the scary steep surge in food and energy expenses,  relief is what every citizen expects from their respective governments. Unsurprisingly, the problem is not just persistent in third-world countries but is equally unsettling in emerging markets and advanced economies. In terms of possible fixes and solutions, the future appears quite murky at the moment. As a result, the public has no one but the government to look up to.

The struggle is inevitable, and the only workable remedy is saving in any form for the time being.

Fortunately, the federal government has once again renewed its Greener Homes initiative  and has invited countrywide applications for its unique grant and interest-free loans. The government understands that in the current situation, minimizing costs is one of the biggest concerns for every home and business owner. Since a considerable amount of a family’s income is spent on energy bills, the government sought out cost-effective and energy-efficient solutions to the problem.

As Saskatchewan’s  reputed and highly rated solar power contractors,  we believe it is our duty to help the local community make the most of this grant opportunity. For this reason, today’s blog post will discuss the federal government’s greener home initiative, relevant grants and reliefs, and their eligibility criteria.

Read Also: Rebates, Grants & Incentives Available For Solar In Canada

About Canada’s Greener Homes Program

In light of the rising energy costs and the detrimental consequences of fuel-driven heating and cooling products to the environment, the Canadian government has sought out a unique solution.  Launched in May 2021, this seven-year program aimed to reduce the country’s carbon footprint to around zero percent by 2050.

Since buildings (including residences) make up for 18% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, the idea is to encourage energy-efficient home upgrades, which ultimately will result in massive savings on energy bills.

In numbers, the program structure is as follows:

   
• A seven-year program duration
   
• Total program value of $2.6 billion
   
• Creation of 110 000 direct and indirect jobs in the relevant sectors
   
• 700 000 total grants

As of January 2022, the total applications received for the grants amounted to about 183,000, and $1 Million has already been disbursed to various eligible homeowners. In light of the extremely positive response from the public, the government has streamlined its processes even further  to make it easier for the public to apply for the loan.

Some broad enhancement initiatives include:

   
• Recruitment of more staff for faster application processing.
   
• Reduction of response time to four weeks.
   
• Speedier disbursement of grants.
   
• Making underserved, remote, rural, and hard-to-reach areas more accessible to energy advisors.
   
• Increasing the overall number of energy advisors.

Eligible Retrofits And Grant Values

Broadly, this program provides the following perks:

   
• For all eligible retrofits, including the installation of solar panels,  home insulations, new windows, thermostats, heating systems, etc, a grant between $125 to $5000 is available.
   
• You can expect a cost contribution of up to $600 for retrofit EnerGuide home evaluations.
   
• An interest-free loan with an easy ten-year term and principal amount of $5000 to $40 000 is also available to assist you in major home retrofits.

For detailed information regarding the eligible retrofits, click here.  

The Grant Process

Based on the public’s feedback and the enhancements, the government has further streamlined the grant process for your ease. The application and administration process has been divided into five easy steps as follows:

1. Check Your Eligibility

As expected, the first step is to evaluate your eligibility and the requirements of the program. If you are a first-time applicant, click here to check your eligibility . Contrarily, existing applicants simply need to log in through their grant portal.

2. Register For The Retrofit Pre-Retrofit EnerGuide Evaluation

In this step, you will first register on Canada Greener Homes Grant Portal and then undergo a mandatory pre-retrofit evaluation. An NRCan registered energy advisor will perform this evaluation.

3. Prepare The Necessary Documentation And Implement The Retrofit

Based on the evaluation and the recommendations, you will work out the retrofits that best suit your budget and implement them.

4. Undergo A Post-Retrofit EnerGuide Evaluation And Apply For The Grant

After the implementation of the recommendations, a post-retrofit evaluation of your home will be necessary to analyze how energy-efficient your home has become.

5. Receive The Grant

Lastly, you will be requested to confirm your grant amount, and the cheque will be released to you in the mail.

About Sundawg Solar

For years we have been tirelessly working toward making Saskatchewan and Canada as a whole a better living place through the provision of energy-efficient and eco-friendly solutions. Learn more about Sundawg Solar  and our unique solar services.

Want to save on your energy bills? Contact us  now.