If you live in Ontario and need money for home renovations, you’re in luck – because there are plenty of Ontario renovation grants in this year and Ontario energy rebates that will help you out.
In this comprehensive guide, we cover 82 Ontario home improvement grants, rebates, tax credits, and down payment assistance, including Ontario window rebates, new furnace rebates, insulation rebates, toilet rebates, and much more!
You can improve your roof, make your house easier to access for a senior or person with a disability, fix up that old granny suite using the Ontario Renovates program, and much more!
Our comprehensive list will go over all the details of the helpful home grants available to you and qualifying individuals in your family. We will talk a bit about where and how you can apply for these grants as well as how much assistant you can expect.
With many of these programs, you should know that funding is rather limited. This means that only a select number of applications will be approved for the grant. With that being said, it is imperative that you apply early on to get the highest chance of admission.
Also, a majority of these grants are on a first-come, first-serve basis so the priority of getting your application filled out correctly and submitted on time is of the utmost importance.
Below we’ve listed all of the current programs for Ontario homeowners, including current Canadian government home renovation grants.
Let’s dive in:
Federal Grants, Rebates, and Tax Credits for Ontario Homeowners
RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan
This program allows you to withdraw up to $25,000 from your RRSP to buy or build a new home.
You can also use it to buy or build a home for yourself or someone you know with a disability.
Home Buyers’ Tax Credit
The THBTC is a non-refundable tax credit that helps homeowners recover closing costs such as legal expenses and inspections.
First-time buyers can claim up to $5,000 for the purchase of a qualifying home on their personal tax return on the year of purchase. You could net up to $750! However, you cannot have lived in another home you or your partner owned in the previous 4 years. This drawback helps to weed out some applicants so that if you are a first time homebuyer, you have a really great chance of obtaining this grant.
If you have a disability (i.e., you are eligible for the disability tax credit) or if you bought the house to improve accessibility for someone who is disabled, you do not have to be a first-time home buyer.
GST/HST New Housing Rebate
The GST/HST new housing rebate gives back some of the GST or the federal part of the HST you paid – up to $1,500 – for a new or substantially renovated house that is your primary place of residence provided you meet all the eligibility requirements.
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program for Secondary/Garden Suite On-Reserve
This program is open to First Nations and First Nation members owning residential properties that want to create affordable, self-contained rental accommodation (secondary, granny, or garden suites) within their primary residence.
Eligible households can receive fully forgivable loans that do not have to be repaid as long as you stick to the conditions of the program, such as renting the suite to low-income tenants. The most you can get is $60,000 per unit unless you live in a northern or remote community. In that case, the amount increases by 25%.
This is a great program to take advantage of if you can qualify because it is a great way to helping you set yourself up for financial security in the future.
CMHC Green Home
If you buy, build, or renovate for energy efficiency using CMHC-insured financing, you could receive a 15% rebate for building a home to ENERGY STAR® standards or up to 25% for building a home to R-2000 building standards.
Genworth Canada Energy-Efficient Housing Program
Receive a 25% rebate when you build a home through one of Genworth Canada’s qualifying energy-efficient building programs or meet the prescribed minimum Natural Resources Canada EnerGuide requirements and fund it through a Genworth Canada insured mortgage
Province of Ontario Home Improvement Grants, Rebates, and More
There are seven different types of grants and rebates available from the Ontario provincial government: renovation grants and rebates for seniors, people with disabilities, secondary suites, people with low incomes, first-time home buyers, those who live in northern locations, and those who want to improve their energy efficiency.
Seniors’ Homeowner Grants
- Provincial Land Tax Deferral Program for Low-Income Seniors and Low-Income Persons with Disabilities
You can qualify for relief if your farm/property was used as your principal residence for at least one year.
This grant gives seniors a rebate up to $500. However, if your income was more than $50,000, you are not eligible for this grant.
Disabled Homeowner Grants
If you are making modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate a disability and make less than $30,000 in a year, you could receive up to $15,000. However, this program is supposed to be a last resort.
Be aware that as of July 4, 2017, application forms with the number 08/16 on the bottom left corner will be accepted for processing; all other applications will not be accepted.
This program offers forgivable loans up to $20,000 to households occupied by people with disabilities who require special modifications to improve accessibility to their residence. The maximum forgivable loan amount varies by municipality.
Easter Seals will provide up to $3,000 to help with home renovations or equipment not covered by the Ministry of Health’s Assistive Devices Program for children up to the age of 19 with mobility disabilities, though clients are required to pay $50 or more per each request, based on their financial resources.
Low-Income Homeowner Grants
This program offers forgivable loans of up to $20,000 to low-income homeowners who own and occupy substandard housing, so they can repair their dwellings to a minimum level of health and safety. The maximum amount varies by municipality.
Non-seniors can receive up to $1,043 while seniors can receive up to $1,187. Even students can receive a credit of $25 if any of their costs were related to energy costs, and if you live on a reserve or in a public long-term care home, you can receive up to $232.
This program is an application program for a reduction in energy bills.
The rebate pays 10% of your electricity bill towards your utility bill and is based upon household income. For example, a family of four making less than $39,000 could receive a $51 in credit on their monthly energy bills.
This is a program that you will find within all Ontario utility companies and helps on a few different levels. Here’s how you can use it:
- Receive emergency financial assistance (up to $500 for electricity or gas bills and up to $600 if your home is heated electrically)
- Have security deposit waved
- Ask for any security deposit you paid back
- Ask for a disconnection grace period of up to 21 days
- Be allowed more time to pay outstanding balances
- Ask for equalized billing without paying by automatic withdrawal
First Time Home Buyer Ontario Grants
Under this program, if you’re a first time home buyer, you could qualify to receive a refund of the land transfer tax for the first $368,000 of the value of the home. The maximum amount of the refund is $4,000.
The biggest hurdle in qualifying for the maximum amount of this program is that all purchasers of the home must be first-time homebuyers. If one or more purchasers has owned a home anywhere in the world previously, the amount will be reduced.
Ontario Energy Efficiency Rebates & Programs
Northern Locations Energy Credit
Those living in a qualifying location can take advantage of the Northern Ontario Energy Credit.
This tax credit allows single people to receive a credit on their taxes of up to $151 and allows families (including single parents) to receive up to $232.
The purpose of this program is to help Northern Ontario residents with the higher energy costs they face living in the north.
Green Ontario Fund
This not-for-profit agency uses its funds to help residents reduce their carbon footprint and save money.
Get rebates of up to $20,000 depending on the systems you replace or add, which could include ground- or air-source heat pumps, insulation, or windows.
Don’t forget to take advantage of the free smart thermostat installation and home energy review also included in the program!
Ontario Municipal Government Grants & Rebates
Now, as you’ll notice, there are many grants that come from different municipal governments.
If you live in some of the bigger cities in Ontario, there are plenty of grants and tax rebates that you could be eligible for! But never fear, there are plenty of financial incentives available in many places throughout the province, so be sure to check out the list at the end to see if your community has any little extras available.
Toronto Home Improvement Grants & Rebates
- Water Rebate Program
- HOME ENERGY LOAN PROGRAM
- basem*nt flooding subsidy
- Eco-Roof Incentive Program
- Live Green Toronto
- tOWERWISE
If you are a low-income senior, or a low-income person with a disability, and you use less than 400 cubic metres of water, you are eligible for this program.
The size of the rebate varies depending on water consumption and is paid directly to your bill.
Home Energy Loan Program (HELP)
This program offers low-interest loans of up to $75,000 to qualifying homeowners interested in improving the energy and water efficiency of their home. The loans are paid back over time via installments on your property tax bill.
Basem*nt Flooding Protection Subsidy Program
Are you concerned about flooding in your area?
Toronto offers owners of single-family, duplex, and triplex residential homes a financial subsidy of up to $3,400 per property to install flood protection devices.
If your aim is to both improve the environment and save money, then look into this Toronto program. It offers grants to residents to support the installation of green and cool roofs.
For green roofs, get up to $100/m2 installed plus up to $1,000 for a structural assessment, and for a cool roof, get up to $2 to $5/m2.
Save money and choose a greener lifestyle by downloading the free Live Green Perks app, available for Android and iOS devices. Show your membership at select locations around town and receive discounts for doing and buying the things you love!
Through financial assistance and education, TowerWise helps owners of Toronto’s high-rise residential buildings reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and energy use by 30%. Interested landlords can request more information at (416) 392-0271 or [emailprotected] or download an application form here.
- Options for Homes
- Habitat for Humanity
- City of Toronto Emergency Energy Fund
- City of Toronto Low-Income Energy Assistance Program
- City of Toronto Property Tax Increase Cancellation Program
- City of Toronto Property Tax Increase Deferral Program
- Cancellation, Reduction, or Refund of Taxes
- Faucet Filter Rebate
- Toronto Renovates Homeowners Program
If you are looking to purchase a new condominium, this is a non-profit group that offers different ways of paying for a condominium, including loans and discounts, and offers down payment support.
They also offer a Condo 101 class that explains what someone should look for when they purchase a new condominium.
You too can be a homeowner! Get out of the rent rut with Habitat for Humanity.
This group helps low-income families build and buy simple, decent quality affordable homes through a no-interest mortgage with payments set at less than 30% of gross income. Instead of a down payment, families contribute their sweat equity.
City of Toronto Emergency Energy Fund
Let’s face it: we all go through tough times.
This fund allows low-income Toronto residents, not receiving Ontario Works or ODSP—regardless of immigration status— who are in arrears or have received a disconnection notice, receive help from the City of Toronto with energy-related emergencies to reconnect, prevent disconnection, or assist in paying energy arrears for hydro, gas, or oil services.
City of Toronto Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
In the same way as above, this program provides a one-time grant of up to $500 (per year) to eligible customers having difficulty paying past due electricity bills.
It is not intended to provide regular or ongoing bill payment assistance, however.
City of Toronto Property Tax Increase Cancellation Program
The City of Toronto will freeze property taxes for low-income seniors (receiving GIS) and people with disabilities (receiving benefits) who have a combined household income of $39,380 or less and who own a home valued at less than $850,000.
City of Toronto Property Tax Increase Deferral Program
This program gives low-income seniors (receiving GIS) with a combined household income of $50,000 or less and low-income people with a disability (receiving benefits) the chance to apply to delay their property tax increases.
Cancellation, Reduction, or Refund of Taxes
In addition to other tax rebates, relief, and deferral programs, if your property has undergone changes during the year such as a change in property class, property damaged by fire, demolition, or otherwise, or is a building undergoing repairs or renovations, you may be eligible for a cancellation, reduction, or refund of your property taxes.
This also applies to any purchased building permits in these situations. You can also apply for property tax relief due to extreme poverty or sickness.
Because lead can have serious effects on health, the City of Toronto continually works to replace substandard service pipes.
Residents that have lead pipes can apply for a rebate to help purchase the appropriate filter for lead removal and/or replacement cartridges if they meet certain criteria, specifically being a low-income household.
Toronto Renovates Homeowners Program
Part of the Ontario Renovates program, the Toronto Renovates Homeowners Program offers funding for lower-income seniors and people with a disability who wish to make health, safety, and energy efficiency repairs or accessibility modifications to their homes. Funding is limited, however.
Ottawa Home Improvement Grants & Rebates
- Tax Deferral Program
- Residential Protective Plumbing Program
- Residential Grants for Sewer Backups
- Home Support Services
- Snow Go Assist Program
- Ottawa Renovates
Low income seniors and people with disabilities who are low income are eligible to receive a full or partial deferral of their annual property tax.
There is no application deadline for first time applicants.
Residential Protective Plumbing Program or Protective Plumbing Rebate
Ottawa has you covered when it comes to flood protection.
The Residential Protective Plumbing Program provides financial assistance to qualified City of Ottawa property owners so they can install protective plumbing devices to prevent water and sewage from flooding their homes as a result of increased water levels in the City’s sewer system.
Residential Grants for Sewer Backups
But if flooding still affects you, then residents affected by flooding three or more times could be eligible for a grant of up to $1,000 under the Residential Compassionate Grant policy for sewer backups.
For those who have a medical need and could use a little helping hand, Home Support Services provides help with light housekeeping to eligible low-income residents who have little or no supports in the community.
The Snow Go Assist Program ensures eligible low-income seniors and people with disabilities can access a helping hand outdoors as well as indoors by providing financial assistance that covers a portion of their snow removal costs.
As with other Ontario Renovates programs, the Ottawa program helps low-income households who own and occupy substandard housing to enable them to repair their dwellings to a minimum level of health and safety.
The Person with Disabilities Ontario Renovates offers financial assistance to households occupied by people with disabilities who require special modifications to improve accessibility to their residence.
Qualifying homeowners can receive a 10-year forgivable loan up to a maximum of $20,000 to help cover the costs of necessary work.
Hamilton Home Improvement Grants & Rebates
- Residential Protective Plumbing Loan Program
- Low Income Deferral Program
- Seniors (65+) Tax Rebate Program
- Compassionate Appeals
Residential Protective Plumbing Loan Program
Installing a new backwater valve? Or a sump bump?
You may be eligible for a loan of up to $2,000 from the City of Hamilton certain protective plumbing improvements.
For seniors 65 and older, you may be eligible for $183 tax credit if your property value is below $382,000 and as long you live at least 182 days a year in your Hamilton home.
People suffering from extreme poverty or have extreme sickness are eligible to have a compassionate appeal that could give you complete relief from your property tax for the previous year.
People with disabilities who are low income and, seniors who are also low income are eligible to for a deferral. You can apply any time of the year.
Seniors (65+) Tax Rebate Program
As part of the City’s effort to assist low-income seniors, this program provides an $186 property tax rebate to qualifying seniors whose homes are valued below $409,200.
This last tax assistance program helps those who should not have to worry about things like taxes. Compassionate Appeals are for people who wish to receive a tax reduction due to extreme sickness or poverty.
Emergency Repair Program
This program offers a grant of up to $5,000 to Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program homeowners that need serious and urgent repairs to their home to avoid adversely affecting their household’s health and safety.
Even if you live outside of those three cities, there are other programs offered from municipal governments aimed at helping homeowners. Below are more communities that also offer known rebates, grants, and/or tax rebates, credits, or deferrals. Check your community’s website to see what may be available.
| Ajax | Aurora | Barrie | Belleville |
| Brampton | Brantford | Bruce County | Burlington |
| Caledon | Cambridge | Chatham-Kent | Clarington |
| Guelph | Halton | Halton Hills | Kawartha Lakes |
| Kingston | Kitchener | London | Markham |
| Milton | Mississauga | Newmarket | Niagara Falls |
| Norfolk County | North Bay | Oakville | Oshawa |
| Peterborough | Pickering | Sarnia | Sault Ste. Marie |
| St. Catharines | Sudbury | Thunder Bay | Vaughn |
| Waterloo | Welland | Whitby | Windsor |
Secondary Suites Program Ontario (Various Cities)
Among all the programs that exist to help people buy, renovate, or improve the efficiency of homes, there are also programs to either create or improve secondary (granny) suites.
Each program requires a limit on how much rent you can charge or be charged for the secondary suite.
You can receive a loan or grant for up to $25,000. The following are those that offer some form of the program:
- Prince Edward County Secondary Suites Grant
- Peel Renovates Second Units
- Niagara Secondary Suites Program
- Simcoe Secondary Suites Program
- Kingston Secondary Suite Affordable Housing Grant Program
- Town of The Blue Mountains Secondary Suite Grant
Down Payment Assistance Ontario
Many Ontario municipalities have down-payment assistance grants for first-time homebuyers. You can receive between 5% and 10% of the sale price for a down payment on a new home.
Many of these programs are time sensitive, so if you live in the following areas you should look to apply ASAP:
- Kitchener – Affordable Home Ownership Program
- Windsor – Homeownership Down Payment Assistance
- Barrie – Simcoe County Homeownership Program
- Kingston – Municipal Home Ownership Program
- The County of Lambton – Homeownership Down Payment Assistance Program
Utility Grants & Rebates for Ontario Homeowners
All utility companies in Ontario provide financial incentives for their customers via grants, rebates, and discounts. These programs are available to all Ontarians.
SaveOnEnergy Program
The SaveOnEnergy program is available for residents and businesses in Ontario who have purchased and installed eligible central heating or cooling equipment through a participating contractor. It is available through most Ontario utility providers.
Heating & Cooling Incentive
You can receive up to $850 dollars when you install energy saving appliances. If your house is electrically heated, you could also receive up to $5,800 when you purchase a high-efficiency heat pump and an additional $50 off the cost of a smart thermostat.
Deal Days
This is a set schedule of deals in stores to save on products that save energy (include lights, weather stripping, and programmable thermostats). Check their website regularly for dates and details.
Home Assistance Program
For low-income homes that qualify (for example, a family of four’s income must be less than $61,028), you can receive new appliances and other conservation devices and products and have them installed for free. This would include everything from lightbulbs to bigger items such as programmable thermostats or a window air conditioners.The program also includes a detailed in-home energy assessment and advice on steps that you can take to save even more energy. Saving energy means saving money!
Enbridge Gas Rebates
Home Energy Conservation Program
You can get incentives for up to $2,100 for retrofitting, or up to $5,000 for installing 2 or more eligible measures and completing a pre-energy audit through the Home Energy Conservation Program, if you are a qualified homeowner.
There are additional incentives available as well.
You can get a cheque for $100 if you install a Smart thermostat before until December 17, 2018, and are an Enbridge customer.
Apply through the manufacturer’s website.
If you have a house built before 1980, your income is below a set threshold, and you are an Enbridge customer, you could have your house winter proofed for free by certified contractors.
This in turn could save you 30% off your energy bills for winter.
Union Gas Rebates
This rebate program offers up to $5,000 (or up to a $5,800 rebate when you install an air-source heat-pump system) for their customers, plus additional electric appliance rebates, if you meet certain requirements, including having an energy assessment conducted before and after renovations.
This program will give you a free upgrade to prepare you for the winter.
You qualify if you are low-income (a four-person household can have a maximum income of $62,588 or less) homeowner, your house was built before 1975 and needs more insulation, and you are a Union Gas customer.
Apply online.
Toronto Hydro Rebates
Heating & Cooling Incentives
If you install a high-efficiency furnace, you could get a $250 furnace rebate. This program ends December 31, 2018.
Hydronic Pump Rebate
When you upgrade your hydronic pump, you can now get a $30 rebate.
It must be equipped with a variable?speed ECM and be installed on an existing hydronic heating system (not on a domestic hot water heater).
If you have a modest or low income (a four-person household can have a maximum income of $43,546) and meet a few other qualifications, Toronto Hydro will supply and install energy-efficient upgrades, free of charge, such as a refrigerator, freezer, or lightbulbs, among other things, to save money and make your home more comfortable.
Central Air Conditioner Rebate
Get a $600 rebate and use up to 20% less electricity when you install a qualifying high?efficiency central air conditioner.
HydroOttawa
Heating & Cooling Incentives
ENERGY STAR®Central Air Conditioner Rebate
Upgrade to a qualifying high-efficiency central air conditioner and get a $600 rebate.
ECM Circulator Pump Rebate
Increase boiler efficiency and energy savings with an ECM circulator pump and get a $30 rebate thrown in just for upgrading!
From time to time, HydroOttawa opens up Deal Days, where you can visit any of the participating retailers (such as Canadian Tire or No Frills) and instantly save anywhere from $1 to $10 on energy-efficient products such as LED lightbulbs and baseboard programmable thermostats. The next event goes from April 6 to May 6, 2018.
High Efficiency Furnace with ECM Motor Rebate
You can get a $250 rebate when you upgrade to an eligible high-efficiency furnace provided it has an ECM motor.
Air-Source Heat Pump Rebate
For those with electrically heated homes, get up to $4,000 when you upgrade your central electric furnace or baseboard heating to an air-source heat pump.
Save electricity and keep your equipment lasting longer by upgrading to a variable-speed pool pump and get a $400 rebate at the same time!
HydroOne
Qualifying low-income HydroOne customers can receive free energy-efficient upgrades that can make your home more comfortable and save you money.
ENERGY STAR®Central Air Conditioner Rebate
Upgrade to a qualifying high-efficiency central air conditioner and get a $600 rebate.
High Efficiency Furnace with ECM Motor Rebate
You can get a $250 rebate when you upgrade to an eligible high-efficiency furnace provided it has an ECM motor.
Increase boiler efficiency and energy savings with an ECM circulator pump and get a $30 rebate thrown in just for upgrading!
For those with electrically heated homes, get anywhere from $1,900 to $5,800, depending on the model you choose, when you upgrade your central electric furnace or baseboard heating to an air-source heat pump.
Add an adaptive thermostat to your electrical heating system and receive an additional $50 rebate.
First Nations Conservation Program
If you are a First Nations customer living in a First Nations community, make sure you take advantage of this program. HydroOne will do a complete energy assessment of your home and install all necessary upgrades—at absolutely no cost!
Interested in making the transition to all green power to fuel your home? Bullfrogpower offers perfectly bundled packages that save you money and reduce your carbon footprint.
The examples listed above are just a sampling of what is available in Ontario. As you can see, there are dozens of programs that Ontarians can use to improve their household.
There are more rebates and tax credits that the provincial government offers to low-income seniors and those with disabilities.
Many municipalities also offer loans, rebates and, tax credits to help with home renovations, especially if you are looking to go greener, and some municipalities will help you buy your own home. Go to your community’s website to start your search.
Finally, utilities companies in Ontario offer plenty of rebates if you are upgrading to more energy-efficient products.
We hope that our guide has been helpful in helping you find ways to help bring down the cost of owning a home or maintaining one that you already own.
Enjoy the extra cash in your wallet!
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