Ontario · Kitchener · Waterloo · Cambridge · Guelph
An independent guide to the two rebate pathways currently available to Ontario homeowners — the single-measure Enbridge HRS program and the multi-measure audit pathway. We help you figure out which one applies, then we help you vet the contractor quote that goes with it.
Where things stand right now
The federal Canada Greener Homes Grant closed to new applicants in early 2024. If you searched "Canada Greener Homes Rebate Ontario" and landed here — that's the program you were looking for, and it's no longer accepting new homeowners.
What's still active for Ontario homeowners is the provincial HRS (Home Renovation Savings) program administered through Enbridge, plus the federal Canada Greener Homes Loan (interest-free, up to $40,000) which may still be open to new applicants. Rebate amounts and rules change — always confirm current eligibility on the official Enbridge HRS page and Natural Resources Canada before relying on a specific number in your project budget.
Ontario's home-energy rebates flow through one of two pathways. Your project scope decides which one — and the difference matters because each has its own contractor rules, paperwork burden, and rebate ceiling.
A.
Single upgrade · faster path
For homeowners doing just one qualifying upgrade. Direct rebate, faster process, but the contractor must be on Enbridge's approved list.
Up to $1,250 · attic insulation
See the single-measure process →B.
2+ upgrades · higher ceiling
For homeowners stacking two or more upgrades in the same project. Higher total rebate, but requires an Energy Advisor pre- and post-assessment.
Up to several thousand · stacked upgrades
See the multi-measure process →Pathway A · Single-measure
The Home Renovation Savings program is the simplest rebate pathway for Ontario homeowners. If you're doing just one upgrade — and that upgrade is on the program's eligible list — the process below is what you'll go through. The trade-off for speed is that you have to choose from Enbridge's approved-contractor list.
Best fit: attic insulation only, or spray foam in a vaulted ceiling only. Not stacking other upgrades into the same project.
If you're only doing attic insulation OR vaulted-ceiling spray foam — and nothing else — you're on this pathway. Adding a second upgrade later means restarting on Pathway B.
The work must be done by a contractor on Enbridge's approved list for the rebate to flow. If your preferred installer isn't on the list, you can still hire them — you just won't qualify for the rebate.
Insist on a fully itemized quote: material specs (R-value for insulation, manufacturer for spray foam), labour, removal/disposal, and warranty. This is where Contract Link's Quote Review service earns its keep — rebate-eligible jobs get audited just like any other contractor quote.
The contractor installs the upgrade according to program specifications. Make sure the work matches the quote, the R-value is documented, and the installer signs off on completion paperwork.
The contractor typically handles rebate submission directly with Enbridge. Confirm this is included in their quote — if it isn't, you may need to submit paperwork yourself. Funds typically arrive within a few weeks of approval.
Pathway B · Multi-measure (audit)
The multi-measure pathway is run by a certified Energy Advisor, not by Enbridge directly. It takes longer and requires two audits — one before any work begins, one after — but it unlocks meaningfully higher rebate totals when you're stacking upgrades like attic + windows + heat pump.
Best fit: two or more upgrades in the same project window. Bigger renovations. Energy-retrofit-style projects where you want to lock in maximum rebates across multiple measures.
The audit pathway only unlocks if you're doing at least two upgrades from the eligible list — for example, attic insulation + air sealing, or windows + heat pump. One upgrade alone routes you back to Pathway A.
An EnerGuide-registered Energy Advisor visits the home, performs a blower-door test, and generates a baseline energy report. This pre-assessment is what makes the rebates calculable — without it, the multi-measure path doesn't work.
The pre-assessment will identify which upgrades produce the biggest energy gain per dollar. You don't have to follow it exactly, but the recommended improvements have the most predictable rebate outcome.
The contractor doesn't have to be on Enbridge's approved list for the audit pathway — they just have to do work that meets program specifications. This is where multiple-quote comparison and Quote Review matters most: stacked upgrades from different trades multiply the risk surface.
All work has to be done within the program's eligibility window. Track receipts, photos, and material specs for every upgrade — the post-assessment will need them.
The same (or another) certified Energy Advisor returns, runs a second blower-door test, and certifies the improvements. The rebate amount is calculated from the measured energy gain between pre- and post-assessment.
The Energy Advisor submits the post-assessment report. The rebate is paid out based on the certified improvements, typically within several weeks of final approval.
The fastest way to figure out which pathway suits your project.
| Factor | Single-measure (HRS) | Multi-measure (audit) |
|---|---|---|
| Number of upgrades | One only | Two or more |
| Pre-assessment required? | No | Yes — Energy Advisor |
| Post-assessment required? | No | Yes — Energy Advisor |
| Contractor restriction | Must use Enbridge-approved list | Any qualified contractor (work must meet spec) |
| Typical timeline | Weeks | Months (pre-audit → work → post-audit) |
| Rebate ceiling | Lower (per measure) | Higher (stacked improvements) |
| Paperwork burden | Light — contractor usually submits | Heavier — Advisor + receipts + reports |
| Best for | Attic insulation only · vaulted spray foam | Whole-home retrofits · 2+ upgrades |
Common upgrades that qualify under one or both pathways. Specific eligibility, R-values, and rebate amounts change — confirm on the official Enbridge HRS page before committing.
Adding insulation to attic spaces to meet target R-value. Often the single biggest energy gain per dollar in older Ontario homes.
Closed-cell or open-cell spray foam in vaulted ceiling cavities. Single-measure pathway covers this when done on its own.
Energy Star-rated replacement windows and exterior doors. Eligible under the multi-measure pathway when combined with other upgrades.
One of the highest-value rebate categories under the multi-measure pathway. Specific eligibility depends on system efficiency rating.
Sealing leaks at building envelope penetrations, rim joists, attic hatches, and bypass openings. Often paired with insulation in multi-measure projects.
Insulation upgrades to exterior walls, headers, and basement walls. Typically routed through the multi-measure pathway because it's almost always combined with air sealing.
Heat-pump water heaters and other high-efficiency systems. Eligibility and rebate amounts depend on the model's energy-factor rating.
Heat- and energy-recovery ventilation systems that maintain indoor air quality after a home is tightly sealed. Eligible under multi-measure when paired with envelope work.
Programmable / smart thermostats that can be controlled remotely. Smaller per-unit rebate, often added to multi-measure projects as a low-cost qualifying upgrade.
We don't administer rebates. We don't process applications. We're not on the Enbridge approved-contractor list. We're independent — and that's exactly what makes us useful when a contractor quote arrives with "the rebate covers it" attached.
Program details, rebate amounts, and eligibility rules change. Before committing real money to a project, verify the current state on the program's own site.
Official Enbridge page for current rebate amounts, eligible upgrades, the approved-contractor list, and application requirements.
Visit official site →NRCanFederal program page. The grant is closed to new applicants; the interest-free loan and other federal supports may still be available.
Visit official site →Energy AdvisorsNRCan's public registry of certified Energy Advisors. Required for the multi-measure audit pathway — start your search here.
Find an Advisor →The questions Ontario homeowners ask us most often before starting a rebate-eligible project.
No. The federal Canada Greener Homes Grant closed to new applicants in early 2024. Ontario homeowners now access most home-energy rebates through the provincial HRS (Home Renovation Savings) program administered by Enbridge. The federal Canada Greener Homes Loan (interest-free, up to $40,000) may still be available — check Natural Resources Canada's official site for current status before applying.
Single-measure (Enbridge HRS direct) is for homeowners completing only one qualifying upgrade — typically attic insulation or spray foam in a vaulted ceiling. It requires an Enbridge-approved contractor and is faster, but the rebate ceiling is lower. Multi-measure (audit-based) requires an Energy Advisor pre-assessment and post-assessment, takes longer, but unlocks higher total rebate amounts when you're stacking two or more upgrades like windows, attic, heat pump, or air sealing.
Attic insulation single-measure rebates are typically up to $1,250 through the HRS program. Spray foam in vaulted ceilings has its own rebate cap. Amounts change as the program evolves, so verify the current published amount on Enbridge's official HRS site before relying on a specific number in your project budget.
No. We are not on the Enbridge approved-contractor list and we don't act as Energy Advisors. Contract Link is independent. What we do is help you figure out which rebate pathway applies, vet the contractor's quote for the upgrade work, and make sure the scope, pricing, and warranty are clean — so the rebate doesn't get clawed back over a paperwork issue or installation problem.
In many cases, yes — but the rules are specific and they change. The interest-free federal loan can finance upgrades that the provincial HRS program partially rebates. The combinations that work depend on which upgrades, when, and through which pathway. Confirm current stacking rules on the official program sites before assuming a specific combination works.
For single-measure HRS rebates, yes — the contractor doing the work must be on the Enbridge-approved contractor list. For multi-measure (audit-based) rebates, the requirement is that the upgrades themselves meet program specifications and are documented by a certified Energy Advisor. The contractor doesn't have to be Enbridge-approved for the audit pathway, but the work has to pass post-assessment.
That phrase is exactly why Contract Link's Quote Review exists. Rebates are based on what you actually paid and what was actually installed — not on what the contractor projected. We read the quote line-by-line so the "rebate covers it" math is checked before you sign, not surprised after.
No. For single-measure HRS rebates, the contractor must be on the approved list at the time of the work. If your preferred contractor isn't on the list, you have two options: switch to a contractor who is, or switch to the multi-measure pathway (which doesn't require an approved-list contractor, but does require the audit process).
If you've got a contractor quote that mentions rebates — or you're planning a project that should be rebate-eligible — send it to us before you sign. We'll tell you whether the pathway makes sense, whether the contractor's pricing actually nets out where they claim, and where the paperwork could go sideways.
