Questions and Answers

1. Can I still enter the ecoENERGY Retrofit Program?

No. The ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes program has reached its goal of 250,000 registered homeowners and is no longer accepting new registrations.

This decision demonstrates prudent management by the Government of Canada and will ensure that the program operates within its existing budget during this time of fiscal constraint.

All registered homeowners must have completed their retrofits by March 31, 2012. In order to allow homeowners registered with the program to receive a grant, the Government of Canada has extended the deadline for post-retrofit evaluations to June 30, 2012.

2.Why are registrations no longer being accepted?

When the program was renewed following Budget 2011, it was clear that there was a limited budget and that homeowners needed to register in order to participate. The government announced that it would help up to 250,000 homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

With a goal of 250,000 registrants, the program is confident that all eligible homeowners who previously registered will have the opportunity to apply for and receive a grant.

However, in order to allow homeowners registered with the program to receive a grant, the Government of Canada has extended the deadline for post-retrofit evaluations to June 30, 2012.

3. I have already registered. Will I still be able to proceed with retrofits and is my grant guaranteed?

Eligible homeowners who have already registered with the program remain eligible to apply for an incentive. Homeowners were required to obtain a pre-retrofit evaluation and complete their renovations by March 31, 2012, and then obtain a post-retrofit evaluation no later than June 30, 2012.

NRCan undertakes ongoing forecasting for participation levels and budget. By ending registrations after reaching its goal of 250,000 registrations, the program is confident that all eligible homeowners who previously registered will still have the opportunity to apply for and receive a grant.

4. How will the grant application process work?

The Windfall Ecology Centre will submit the completed electronic file once the post-retrofit assessment is completed. We will provide you with a hard-copy application form for your signature and will submit it to NRCan.

5. Will the complementary programs offered by provinces and territories remain in place?

Many provinces and territories have developed their own energy efficiency programs for homes and will continue to require energy advisors to perform energy evaluations. You can visit the list of complementary regional programs for links to their Web sites

In some cases, NRCan transfers data to these complementary regional programs after approving your federal grant, while other regional programs require you to apply separately. At the time of your post-retrofit evaluation, your energy advisor can advise you about complementary funding, but they are only trained on the delivery of the federal grant and may not have all details about all local programs.

NRCan will continue to provide the system infrastructure for home energy evaluations and to process Canadian’s applications for the jurisdictions that have complementary programs in place.