2026 Ontario home energy rebates: what to check before you renovate

Rebate advertisements often combine old and current programs. As of this article’s review date, Ontario’s main active offer is the Home Renovation Savings™ program, delivered by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy with support from the Ontario government. It is available across several primary heating fuels, but eligibility, rebate limits and required steps differ by home and upgrade.

What is the current Ontario program?

Home Renovation Savings supports energy-saving renovations through more than one program stream. Homeowners may be able to complete an eligible heat-pump upgrade through a contractor-led stream, or combine multiple upgrades through an assessment stream that requires pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluations.

The program is not an automatic discount on every furnace, air conditioner or renovation. The home, existing heating source, selected equipment, contractor, timing and documentation must all meet current rules.

The two pathways homeowners should understand

1. Heat-pump program stream

This pathway is designed for eligible cold-climate air-source and ground-source heat-pump installations. The participating HVAC contractor submits the pre-installation application. The equipment must appear as active on the applicable eligible-product list, meet program efficiency and sizing rules, and serve the home’s conditioned space.

• The homeowner must own the eligible home and pay for the installation.
• Existing heat-pump replacements are generally not eligible under this stream.
• The installation must use a contractor on the program’s participating HVAC contractor list.
• The application must be approved before installation.
• Rebate calculations depend on the home’s primary heating fuel and system capacity.

2. Home-energy-assessment stream

This pathway is intended for bundled upgrades such as insulation, air sealing, windows and doors, and eligible heat-pump water heaters. It requires a pre-retrofit evaluation before work, at least two qualifying measures, and a post-retrofit evaluation.

• The pre-audit must take place before renovations begin.
• At least two qualifying measures must be completed.
• The post-audit must be completed within 180 days of the pre-audit or by December 31, 2026, whichever comes first.
• Invoices, audit documents and property-tax documentation must be retained.
• The same upgrade cannot receive rebates twice through overlapping programs.

Examples of current rebate opportunities

These figures are examples from the official assessment-stream requirements reviewed for this article. Actual payment can be prorated and is subject to the home, baseline condition and completed work.

Under the assessment stream, cumulative limits are generally up to $5,000 for Enbridge natural-gas-heated homes and up to $10,000 for eligible electric, oil, propane or wood-heated homes. The official program’s current calculation—not a contractor’s advertisement—determines the final amount.

Who may qualify?

Eligibility depends on the selected stream. Common eligible property types include detached, semi-detached, row and town homes, plus certain mobile homes on permanent foundations. New homes generally must have been occupied for at least six months. Rules for stacked townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, rental properties and secondary suites vary by stream.

Your primary heating source matters. A hybrid system with an electric heat pump may be treated as electrically heated under assessment-stream rules. Cornwall Electric customers are excluded from the IESO-controlled-grid provisions described in the program requirements.

A safer order of operations

1. Confirm the program stream. Start with the official Home Renovation Savings eligibility tools.
2. Identify your existing heating source. Natural gas, electricity, oil, propane and wood can lead to different rules and rebate limits.
3. Complete the required pre-step. This may be a contractor-led pre-application or a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation.
4. Verify the exact equipment combination. Outdoor unit, indoor coil or air handler, furnace and controls may all affect eligibility.
5. Wait for required approval. Do not rely on a verbal estimate of eligibility.
6. Keep every document. Save contracts, model numbers, AHRI information, paid invoices and audit reports.
7. Complete the post-installation process. Submit documents and schedule the post-audit where required.

What happened to the Canada Greener Homes programs?

The federal Canada Greener Homes Grant is closed, and December 31, 2025 was the final document-submission date. The Canada Greener Homes Loan is also closed to new approvals because its funding is fully committed. Homeowners who already received loan approval may continue under their approved file, but a new customer should not treat the former federal grant or loan as currently available funding.