Check Road Conditions
Home Energy Retrofits
Information about Home Energy Retrofit programs.
Get More with Less Energy
By making energy-efficient upgrades to your home, you will:
- Save Money - Homes can see meaningful cuts to energy bills with small energy efficiency investments.
- Increase Comfort - A well-insulated, air sealed, and ventilated house is a cozier home with less dust, pollen, and mold.
- Add Durability - A tighter home with good ventilation improves air and moisture control.
- Reduce Your Impact - Improving your home’s energy efficiency helps address climate change.
Low-Cost Actions to Save Money & Increase Home Comfort
Check out these low-cost actions you can take to unlock savings and increase comfort in your home.
- Unplug appliances and devices when not in use
- Open curtains on south windows in winter, close in summer
- Wash laundry in cold water and extend spin time to cut dry time
- Run ceiling fans clockwise in winter to create an updraft and circulate warm air, and switch to clockwise in summer to create a downdraft that creates direct, cooling breeze.
- Clean refrigerator coils and set to the right temperature
- Switch to LED lightbulbs
- Replace or clean furnace, HVAC and A/C filters every three months – set a reminder in your phone to remind yourself
- Seal leaks around windows, doors, baseboards and outlets
- Switch to a programmable or smart thermostat
- If you’re an Enbridge customer and heat with natural gas, receive $100 off a smart thermostat.
- Switch to low-flow fixtures on showers and sinks
- Install water heater blanket (but not on gas water heaters)
- Use a smart power bar to avoid energy waste
- Upgrade insulation
- Choose Energy Star appliances
- Opt for energy efficient windows and doors
- Consider a heat pump for heating and cooling
Funding Programs
Are you interested in doing larger home energy efficiency upgrades? Or do you need support paying for your monthly utilities? Currently the following programs are available:
Programs to Assist with Rent and Utilities
Grey County residents who are having trouble paying rent or utilities may be eligible for financial assistance through one of the following programs:
Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program (for income-eligible households)
The Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program helps eligible homeowners with median income or less who are currently heating their homes with oil make the transition to a better, more efficient option.
There is no need for a home energy evaluation as part of this program.
- Up to $10,000 to cover costs for changing your oil heating system to an eligible heat pump.
- Upfront payment (in advance of having to pay for any related costs)
Learn More about the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program
Canada Greener Homes Loan (for all homeowners)
Offers interest-free financing (from $5,000 to $40,000) to help you complete some of the more major retrofits recommended by your energy advisor.
Interest-free loans with a repayment term of 10 years to help you undertake major home retrofits.
Learn More About Canada Greener Homes Loan
Home Renovation Savings Program
The new Home Renovation Savings Program will offer rebates for home renovations and energy-efficiency improvements, including:
- $600 for a home energy assessment
- $100 per new window and door
- Up to $8,900 for insulation
- Up to $250 for air sealing
- $75 for a smart thermostat
- $500 for a heat pump water heater
- Up to $7,500 for a cold climate air source heat pump
- Up to $12,000 for a ground source heat pump
- Up to $5,000 for rooftop solar panels
- Up to $5,000 for battery storage systems
Generally, rebates could offset up to 30 per cent of the cost of new upgrades. Rebates will be paid within 30 to 60 days of an approved application.
Home Efficiency Rebate (for Enbridge customers)
Get up to $5,000 in rebates for insulation, air sealing, new windows/doors, water heaters, boilers, furnaces and home energy assessments if you are an Enbridge Gas customer with a home heated with natural gas.
Before you start any renovation work, you must complete a home energy assessment. A registered energy advisor will look at how your home uses energy and tell you which upgrades will help you save – and how they work together. If you complete at least two of the recommended upgrades, you’ll get money back.
Learn More About the Home Efficiency Rebate
Energy Affordability Program (for income-eligible residents)
The Energy Affordability Program provides support to income-eligible electricity consumers by helping them to better manage their monthly electricity costs and to increase their home comfort.
There are two types of support available through the Energy Affordability Program: Comprehensive Support and Energy Saving Kits.
All expert advice and energy-saving home upgrades under this program are completely free of charge.
Learn more about the Energy Affordability Program
Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program – Coming Soon!
The Canada Green Homes Affordability Program will help low-to-median-income homeowners and tenants retrofit their homes to reduce monthly energy bills.
The full cost of recommended retrofits will be covered for eligible households. That means that participants will not be asked to pay out of pocket to participate.
Looking to Go the Extra Mile with Renewable Energy?
Explore Net-Metering, which allows you to generate your own electricity from a renewable source (solar, wind, water). Once that electricity is generated, Net Metering allows you to use all or some of your own generated electricity. If you use less electricity than what is generated, the meter will send electricity back to your hydro provider for a credit towards your next bill.
Grey County
Situated two hours north of Toronto, Grey County offers beauty you can’t get in the city.
- 595 9th Ave East Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 3E3
- (519) 376-2205 | 1-800-567-4739