Home upgrade rebates in Canada: what changed in 2026 and what you can still get
The federal grant most homeowners have heard of is gone, and the interest-free loan closed in October 2025. But there is still real money on the table, and in some provinces it is larger than what the federal programs ever paid. Here is the honest picture.
Start here: two programs you may be counting on are closed
The Canada Greener Homes Grant, the one that paid up to $5,000 plus an energy evaluation, stopped taking new registrations in February 2024.
The Canada Greener Homes Loan, the interest-free loan of up to $40,000, stopped accepting new applications on 1 October 2025.
If you read an article promising either of those, it is out of date. What replaced them works very differently, and for most people the bigger money is now provincial.
What is actually available now
Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program
This is what replaced the old federal grant, and it is a completely different model. Instead of paying you back after you spend, it delivers the work at no cost to qualifying households through a direct-install partner.
It targets low-to-median-income households, and unlike the old grant it is open to tenants as well as homeowners. Covered work can include insulation, air sealing, heat pumps, windows and doors, though what is offered varies by province.
One important detail: the federal government is not taking applications from households directly. You apply through your province's delivery organisation. As of our last check it was running in British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, with more provinces being added.
Home Renovation Savings Program
Launched in January 2025 and currently running to 30 November 2026, this is the biggest straightforward rebate available to most Ontario homeowners, and it is not income-tested.
Published amounts include up to $12,000 for a heat pump, up to $3,600 for exterior wall insulation, up to $1,500 for attic insulation, up to $1,500 for basement wall insulation, $100 per rough opening for windows and doors, up to $5,000 for solar panels and $75 for a smart thermostat.
Two catches worth knowing before you plan around it. You generally need to complete at least two qualifying upgrades, and there is an overall cap that depends on how you heat: lower for natural gas heated homes, higher for electrically heated ones. You also need to have owned the home for at least six months.
LogisVert and Rénoclimat
Quebec has two programs that stack, which is why the totals here are among the highest in the country.
LogisVert, run by Hydro-Québec, pays up to $6,700 for a cold-climate ENERGY STAR Most Efficient central air-source heat pump, with substantially more available for geothermal systems depending on capacity. Rénoclimat, the provincial program, pays up to $5,250 for a combination of energy improvements.
Both require an RBQ-licensed contractor, and Rénoclimat requires an ÉnerGuide energy assessment before and after the work. Some municipalities add smaller top-ups on top.
CleanBC Better Homes
British Columbia runs heat pump and envelope rebates through CleanBC Better Homes, with amounts that depend on your utility, what you are replacing and in some streams your household income. Income-qualified households can access considerably more than the standard rebate.
Because the amounts shift by utility and by stream, this is one where you should confirm your specific number before budgeting. BC is also one of the provinces delivering the federal Affordability Program.
Four things that trip people up
01Almost all of them require a licensed contractor
Rebate programs pay out against work done by a properly licensed installer, and several require the licence number on the paperwork. A cash deal with an unlicensed operator will not just void the rebate, it can void your home insurance too. This is the single most common way people lose the money.
02Some require an assessment before you start
Programs like Rénoclimat need an energy assessment before the work and another after. If you do the work first and apply later, you are not eligible. Check the sequence before you book anyone.
03Rebates stack, but the caps are real
Provincial and utility programs can often be combined, which is how Quebec homeowners reach five figures. But most programs have an overall household cap, and in Ontario that cap changes depending on how your home is heated. Add up the individual line items and you will usually overshoot what you actually receive.
04Programs close with very little notice
The federal loan closed on six weeks' notice while it was still being advertised across the industry. If a rebate is a meaningful part of your budget, confirm it is open on the day you sign, not the day you started researching.
The short version
The old federal grant and loan are both closed. The federal replacement covers the work outright, but it is income-tested and delivered through your province. The largest amounts most homeowners can actually get in 2026 are provincial: Ontario's Home Renovation Savings Program and Quebec's LogisVert plus Rénoclimat combination. Every one of them requires a licensed contractor, and several require an assessment before the work starts.
Rebates only pay out on properly done work.
We check licence, insurance and workers' compensation clearance before any contractor can contact you, which is exactly what these programs require on the paperwork. Answer a few questions and we'll match you with one vetted local pro.
Confirm your own numbers
Amounts and eligibility change without much warning. These are the official pages for each program. They open in a new tab so you don't lose your place.
This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. Handy Hank does not administer any government rebate programme and cannot approve or guarantee funding. Amounts, eligibility rules and closing dates change, and vary by province, utility, household income and the specific equipment installed. Always confirm current details with the programme administrator before committing to any work.