How to take advantage of Canadian rebate programs for new windows

Renovation life comes with its own set of challenges–moving, mess and the biggest worry of them all, the ballooning budget! Fortunately, you can add new, energy-friendly windows to your home and actually get some of your home investment money back.

With provincial, territorial, and federal grants and rebates, you can get rewarded for your energy-efficient purchase and save on home heating and cooling costs in the long run. ENERGY STAR^®-certified windows will also make your home more comfortable, helping to keep you and your family toasty even on the coldest days.

Here’s a roundup of grants and rebates that could save you some of your hard-earned money!

The Canada Greener Homes Grant

The Government of Canada’s Canada Greener Homes Grant is designed to help homeowners save money while fighting climate change. Registered homeowners can get up to $5,000 in rebates towards the purchase and installation of home upgrades, including energy-friendly windows.

You may be entitled to a grant ranging from $125 to $5,000 to get back a portion of your costs for eligible home retrofits. You may also be eligible for up to $600 toward the total costs of the pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluations that are required in order to qualify for the program.

This government grant recognizes that windows and doors can account for up to 25 percent of total household heat loss, so window and frame replacements with high-performance ENERGY STAR^®-certified windows can save significant energy.

The grant that you receive is dependent on the type of window you select. If you replace your window (or sliding glass door) with an ENERGY STAR^®-certified model, you may be eligible for $125 per rough opening (structurally stable opening in an outside wall). Upgrade to an ENERGY STAR “most efficient” window and you may receive up to $250 back. (Read this blog post for more about the “most efficient” designation.)

Tip: Be sure to review the list of eligible window models.

To start, you’ll need to book and complete a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation. Then–the fun part–purchase ENERGY STAR^®-certified products. Have a licensed professional complete home improvements. Complete a post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation. Get reimbursed!

Where to register for the Canada Greener Homes Grant:

To get more information about the Canada Greener Homes Grant, and begin the registration process, visit the appropriate site for your province or territory below. Application procedures and eligibility requirements vary by province or territory.

Tip: Be sure to review the list of retrofits that are not eligible, including skylights and retrofits that were done before a pre-retrofit evaluation.

Or, select your province or territory from the dropdown list here.

Take advantage of local, provincial and territorial rebates too

Depending on which town, province or territory you live in, you may be eligible for additional grants and rebates when upgrading your windows.

British Columbia

The CleanBC Better Homes and Home Renovation Rebate Program, administered by BC Hydro, FortisBC and the Province of British Columbia, provides up to $6,000 in rebates for those who are improving their home’s energy efficiency through select upgrades. Citizens must live in an eligible home and have residential utility accounts with BC Hydro, FortisBC or municipal utilities.

You could receive up to $100 per window (up to 20 windows or $2,000) for replacing current exterior windows with program-qualified products. New windows must have a U-Factor of 1.22 (W/m2·K) or lower. Read more about eligibility and process requirements.

Alberta

The Town of Banff provides its residents with financial rebates to help them make energy-saving changes in their homes. This includes window replacement, with up to $100 back for each ENERGY STAR^®-certified window, and up to $200 for windows in the ENERGY STAR^® “most efficient” category.

To apply for the Town of Banff’s residential environmental rebates, complete and submit the Residential Environmental Rebate Application form.

Yukon

The Government of Yukon offers rebates for the installation of qualifying new ENERGY STAR^®windows in a residence that is five years or older. You could be entitled to a rebate of $120 per window, to a maximum rebate of $1,800 per home.

To apply online, you’ll need to create an account on the Good Energy rebates website and add details about your home.

Northwest Territories

The Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA) provides rebates to help owners of older, less energy-efficient homes in the Northwest Territories reduce the costs of heating their homes. These rebates can be used to help homeowners offset the costs of window upgrades.

You could be eligible for up to $3,000 for installing ENERGY STAR^®-certified windows, with a rebate of $250 per window, up to 12 windows.

Tip: To be eligible for rebates under this program, an exterior wall insulation upgrade is required.

Before applying for a home improvement rebate, you will need to book a home energy evaluation. Once your evaluation is complete, your energy advisor will provide you with details of the application process.

Ontario

In Ontario, Canada's Greener Homes Grant has partnered with Enbridge Gas to provide enhanced rebates towards eligible retrofits, including window replacements. The Home Efficiency Rebate Plus (HER+) program provides potential rebates up to $10,000. (Enbridge Gas space heated homes are eligible for additional rebates provided by Enbridge Gas.)

Under the program, window replacements with ENERGY STAR^® “most efficient” models could be eligible for up to $325 back, with the potential for a $175 rebate on regular ENERGY STAR^® models.

Participants may also be eligible to offset the cost of their EnerGuide home evaluation with an additional rebate of $600.

The co-delivery of this program through the HER+ in Ontario allows eligible homeowners to access both programs through one application regardless of their home heating fuel type.

Find out more about how the Home Efficiency Rebate Plus program works.

New Brunswick

NB Power’s Total Home Energy Savings program offers incentives for reducing energy use. To start, a certified energy advisor will perform a home energy evaluation. Homeowners may then be eligible for financial incentives for completing recommended energy-saving upgrades, including installing eligible ENERGY STAR^® windows with frames.

You may be eligible for an incentive of $50 per rough opening. Check out program guidelines and eligibility requirements.

Prince Edward Island

EfficiencyPEI offers grants for the installation of ENERGY STAR^® windows and other improvements that will make your home more comfortable and environmentally friendly. To qualify for this provincial government rebate, you must have an energy audit conducted by one of their energy partners.

Newly installed windows may be eligible for a regular rebate of $100 per window, to a maximum of $1,000 per property, for ENERGY STAR^® (v5, 2020 onwards) units or a low-income rebate of $200 per window, to a maximum of $2,000 per property.

Our most energy-efficient windows yet

JELD-WEN of Canada’s new JWC8500 series brings you our most energy-efficient windows yet. They are crafted to stand up to the elements, save on energy costs and look good while doing it. A 26 percent slimmer frame maximizes the glass area to let in more natural light, for a sleek, modern touch.

These long-lasting vinyl windows are not only hassle-free, they also offer 22 percent better energy efficiency. They are 2030-rated to meet Canada’s U-Factor 0.14 (U.S./I-P)/0.82 (Metric/SI) or ER 44 building code targets.

You may be eligible to get back up to $250 per rough opening from the Canada Greener Homes Grant when you replace your old windows with the JWC8500 series! Check out the range of available window styles and glass options.