To become more environmentally friendly as a homeowner, the Canadian government offers grants to help retrofit your home with energy-saving appliances. To participate in the ecoEnergy Retrofit program, homeowners needed to have booked a pre-retrofit evaluation appointment by March 31, 2010. Applications for such an appointment are no longer being accepted. The program requires those interested in having their homes retrofitted to contact a licensed service agent and have a pre-retrofit assessment done to determine what changes will most benefit their homes. After the installation is completed, a post-retrofit evaluation is done and the grant application is filled out by the evaluator and signed by the homeowner. A check is mailed to the homeowner in about 90 days.
Qualifying appliances and systems that may be put into the home include earth energy systems that comply with certain requirements, like certification with the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition. For this system installation, $4,375 is given to owners of a single-family home. For owners of multi-unit residential buildings, $4,375 is also granted.
EcoEnergy Retrofit Homes
Natural Resources Canada
580 Booth Street, 18th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E4
800-622-6232
oee.nrcan.ga.ca
If you are a senior citizen, the Home Adaptations for Seniors' Independence (HASI) for Senior grants allows you to get a forgivable loan of up to $3,500 to make changes to your home. The loan is forgiven as long as you stay in your home six months. If changes are done to a rental unit, the landlord needs to consent to not increase the rent due to the changes.
Eligible changes must improve access to basic places in the home, be permanently affixed to the home and increase safety. An example of an alteration is handrails installed in hallways.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
700 Montreal Road
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P7
613-748-2000
cmhc.ca
For individuals with disabilities, Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program for Persons with Disabilities grants are available to make the home a safer place. The grants are in the form of forgivable loans and either the landlord or the individual may apply. The amount varies depending on who applies and where in Canada the housing is located. For homeowners in southern Canada, the grant amount is $16,000, for landlords in the area it is $24,000. In contrast, homeowners in the far north of Canada may be able to get a grant for $24,000, while a landlord may be able to get one for $36,000.
To qualify, a property needs to house a low-income person with a disability and meet minimum safety and health requirements, among other criteria. Changes to the house or rental unit need to relate to the disability and may include countertop adjustments, chair lifts and other changes. Items like walkers are not included.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
700 Montreal Road
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P7
800-668-2642
cmhc.ca