May 27th, 2021
Surrey, British Columbia
Climate action starts at home. By helping Canadians make their homes more energy-efficient and more comfortable, the Government of Canada is making it easier for them to lower their energy bills and their home’s carbon footprint. This will reduce energy waste and lower emissions, support a low-carbon economy and create a cleaner, more prosperous future for all Canadians.
Today, Randeep S. Sarai, Member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, announced that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and our Liberal government launched the newCanada Greener Homes Grant. It helps Canadian homeowners across the country improve the energy efficiency of their homes and lower their energy bills.
Up to 700,000 Canadian homeowners, including those living in Indigenous, northern, rural and remote communities, are eligible for grants of up to $5,000 to make energy-efficient upgrades to their homes and up to $600 for pre- and post-upgrade EnerGuide home energy evaluations. Eligible home upgrades include replacing windows and doors, adding insulation, sealing air leaks, improving heating and cooling systems (e.g., heat pumps), installing smart thermostats and installing solar panels.
We need more energy advisors to conduct these EnerGuide evaluations from coast to coast to coast. Last week, we announced our commitment to recruit and train up to 2,000 new energy advisors. This recruitment is focused on advancing diversity and inclusion and will create new jobs and drive economic growth that benefits everyone.
Today’s announcement is just one of the many steps your Liberal government is taking to fight climate change, lower emissions and protect the environment. Through Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, we are making life more affordable for Canadians, creating good middle-class jobs, and building a stronger and cleaner economy.
Quotes
“Canadians are looking for ways to save money on their energy bills and do their part to fight climate change. We are driving economic activity and creating jobs by improving energy efficiency and helping Canadians lower their carbon footprint. The Canada Greener Homes Grant is good for your wallet, good for the economy and good for the planet.”
The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr.
Minister of Natural Resources
“When it comes to energy in Canada, our action starts at home. Enabling Canadian homeowners to undertakeenergy-efficient retrofits is a win-win as it is apart of our government’s plan for a green recovery, which will build a clean economy, continue our fight against climate change, and create jobs right here in Surrey Centre.”
Randeep S. Sarai
Member of Parliament for Surrey Centre
Quick Facts
- Homeowners can go online to register, plan and document their progress, including applying for their pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation, choosing from a list of eligible retrofit options, scheduling a post-retrofit evaluation and applying for reimbursement.
- To participate in this new initiative, a homeowner’s primary residence must be at least six months old and eligible for an EnerGuide evaluation. Residences include single and semi-detached houses, row housing, townhomes, all-season cottages, mobile homes on a permanent foundation, permanently moored floating homes, small multi-unit residential buildings (three storeys or less with a footprint of 600m2 or less), and mixed-use buildings (residential portion only).
- Retrofits that help protect homes from weather events — such as floods, wind damage and power outages — are also eligible for the grant if they are done in combination with measures that improve energy efficiency.
- Buildings, including homes, account for 18 percent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. Retrofitting existing homes is one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Announced in December 2020, Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, includes $15 billion in investments to help achieve our economic and environmental goals.
- The plan includes measures to make it easier for Canadians to improve the energy efficiency of the places where they live and gather, including through investments in retrofits.
- Budget 2021 proposes to provide $4.4 billion to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to provide interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to help more than 200,000 homeowners complete extensive home retrofits.
