Ontario homeowners looking to upgrade their homes' energy efficiency have a range of flexible rebates available to them through the Home Renovation Savings program. This joint initiative between Enbridge Gas, Save on Energy, and the Ontario Government brings together rebates from multiple sources into a single, streamlined program, making it easier than ever to get financial support for a wide range of energy upgrades. Here's everything you need to know.

What Is the Home Renovation Savings Program?

The Home Renovation Savings program was launched as a partnership between Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy, with support from the Ontario Government. Its goal is simple: to make energy-efficient home upgrades more accessible and affordable for Ontario homeowners by combining rebates from both natural gas and electricity utilities into one convenient application process.

Rather than navigating multiple separate programs and applications, homeowners can apply for rebates for a broad range of upgrades, from insulation and windows to heat pumps and solar panels, through a single program.

Upgrades That Require a Home Energy Assessment

Some upgrades under the Home Renovation Savings program require a home energy assessment (like an EnerGuide audit) before you can access the rebates. This is because the assessment establishes a baseline for your home's energy performance and confirms that the upgrades are appropriate and impactful. Upgrades in this category include heat pump water heaters (eligible for a $500 rebate), windows and doors (eligible for $100 per rough opening), insulation for attics, walls, foundations, and exposed floors (eligible for up to $7,700), and air sealing improvements (eligible for up to $250). At least two of the upgrades are required to be completed to be eligible for rebates.

These rebates are designed to support improvements to your home's building envelope, the walls, roof, windows, and other elements that separate your living space from the outside. A well-sealed, well-insulated building envelope is foundational to long-term energy efficiency.

Upgrades That Don't Require an Assessment

Other upgrades are available without needing a home energy assessment first, which makes them faster and simpler to access. These include heat pumps (eligible for up to $12,000), air source heat pumps or ASHPs (eligible for up to $7,500), solar panels and battery storage systems (eligible for up to $10,000), and smart thermostats (eligible for a $75 rebate).

For ASHP installations specifically, there are a few additional requirements to keep in mind: you must be an Enbridge Gas customer with an active account, and your home must primarily be heated by natural gas. The heat pump you install must also appear on Natural Resources Canada's qualified products list to be eligible.

It’s important to be realistic about your expected rebate as this is often calculated according to the work completed, such as the number of windows replaced, the size of the heat pump installed, or the size of the solar array. Let’s take heat pumps for heating and cooling a home. We will use the example of a 2,000 square foot home in southern Ontario with a heating/cooling load assessment that specifies a heat pump sized to 3.5 tons.

For a home heated by natural gas and an Enbridge customer (i.e. about 70% of low rise dwellings in Peel Region), the rebate is $1,750 for a cold climate air source heat pump ($500 per ton X 3.5 tons), and the rebate is $3,000 for a ground source heat pump (a flat rate applies).

For a home heated by electricity (e.g. electric baseboards or other resistance heating), oil, propane, or wood, the rebate is $4,375 for a cold climate air source heat pump ($1,250 per ton X 3.5 tons), and the rebate is $7,000 for a ground source heat pump ($2,000 per ton X 3.5 tons)

Let’s take a few other scenarios for illustration:

An electrically heated home assessed for a 6-ton cold climate air source heat pump is eligible for a rebate of $7,500 ($1,250 per ton X 6 tons, which reaches the cap of $7,500 from this rebate.

An oil heated home assessed for a 6-ton ground source heat pump is eligible for a rebate of $12,000 ($2,000 per ton X 6 tons, which reaches the cap for this type of rebate).

A natural gas heated home through Enbridge assessed for a 4.5-ton cold climate air source heat pump is eligible for a rebate of $2,000 (the calculation of 4.5 tons X $500 per ton exceeds the limit, so the rebate is capped at $2,000).

How Do You Apply?

The application process for the Home Renovation Savings program is designed to be straightforward. You can visit homerenovationsavings.ca to get started, learn more about the specific eligibility requirements for each upgrade type, and begin your application. It's a good idea to confirm your eligibility before scheduling any work, as the requirements do vary by upgrade type.

Combining With Other Programs

One of the smartest strategies for Ontario homeowners is to layer the Home Renovation Savings program with other available incentives. You can stack incentives, as long as the incentives are not part of other Save On Energy, Enbridge or Government of Ontario programs. For example, the federal government Home Energy Loan program can be stacked with Home Renovation Savings, but there are limits, so consult the web sites and seek advice from CCET’s Energy Coach. Exploring which programs can be combined is one of the smartest ways to reduce your out-of-pocket costs, and an Energy Coach can help you figure out exactly what works for your situation.

Is This Program Right for You?

If you're an Ontario homeowner, and especially an Enbridge Gas customer, the Home Renovation Savings program is well worth exploring. Whether you're looking to make a major upgrade like installing a heat pump or solar panels, or you want to start with something smaller like a smart thermostat or window improvements, there's likely a rebate available to help.

Get Personalized Guidance

The variety of rebate levels and eligibility requirements can feel complex to navigate on your own. CCET's Energy Coaches can help you figure out exactly which rebates apply to your situation, how to combine them with other programs, and how to make the most of every dollar available to you.

Book a free call with an Energy Coach.