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Where things stand right now

The federal grant closed. Ontario rebates didn't.

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.

which one applies to you? →

The two pathways at a glance.

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

Enbridge HRS — single-measure

For homeowners doing just one qualifying upgrade. Direct rebate, faster process, but the contractor must be on Enbridge's approved list.

  • Attic insulation OR vaulted-ceiling spray foam
  • No pre-audit required
  • Must use Enbridge-approved contractor
  • Faster — weeks, not months
  • Lower total rebate ceiling than multi-measure

Up to $1,250 · attic insulation

See the single-measure process →

B.

2+ upgrades · higher ceiling

Audit-based — multi-measure

For homeowners stacking two or more upgrades in the same project. Higher total rebate, but requires an Energy Advisor pre- and post-assessment.

  • Two or more qualifying upgrades stacked
  • Pre-assessment with certified Energy Advisor
  • Insulation, air sealing, windows, doors, heat pump, more
  • Post-assessment after work is complete
  • Higher total rebate potential

Up to several thousand · stacked upgrades

See the multi-measure process →

Pathway A · Single-measure

The Enbridge HRS path, step by step.

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.

  1. Confirm your project is single-measure.

    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.

  2. Choose from the Enbridge-approved contractor list.

    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.

  3. Get a written quote.

    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.

  4. Complete the work.

    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.

  5. Submit for the rebate.

    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 audit-based path, step by step.

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.

  1. Confirm two or more qualifying upgrades.

    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.

  2. Book a pre-assessment with a certified Energy Advisor.

    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.

  3. Plan upgrades around the audit recommendations.

    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.

  4. Get contractor quotes for each upgrade.

    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.

  5. Complete all upgrades within the program window.

    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.

  6. Book the post-assessment.

    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.

  7. Receive the rebate.

    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.

Side-by-side comparison.

The fastest way to figure out which pathway suits your project.

FactorSingle-measure (HRS)Multi-measure (audit)
Number of upgradesOne onlyTwo or more
Pre-assessment required?NoYes — Energy Advisor
Post-assessment required?NoYes — Energy Advisor
Contractor restrictionMust use Enbridge-approved listAny qualified contractor (work must meet spec)
Typical timelineWeeksMonths (pre-audit → work → post-audit)
Rebate ceilingLower (per measure)Higher (stacked improvements)
Paperwork burdenLight — contractor usually submitsHeavier — Advisor + receipts + reports
Best forAttic insulation only · vaulted spray foamWhole-home retrofits · 2+ upgrades

Eligible upgrade categories.

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.

Attic insulation

Adding insulation to attic spaces to meet target R-value. Often the single biggest energy gain per dollar in older Ontario homes.

SingleMulti

Spray foam (vaulted ceilings)

Closed-cell or open-cell spray foam in vaulted ceiling cavities. Single-measure pathway covers this when done on its own.

SingleMulti

Windows & doors

Energy Star-rated replacement windows and exterior doors. Eligible under the multi-measure pathway when combined with other upgrades.

Multi

Heat pump (air-source or ground-source)

One of the highest-value rebate categories under the multi-measure pathway. Specific eligibility depends on system efficiency rating.

Multi

Air sealing

Sealing leaks at building envelope penetrations, rim joists, attic hatches, and bypass openings. Often paired with insulation in multi-measure projects.

Multi

Wall & basement insulation

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.

Multi

High-efficiency water heater

Heat-pump water heaters and other high-efficiency systems. Eligibility and rebate amounts depend on the model's energy-factor rating.

Multi

HRV / ERV ventilation

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.

Multi

Smart thermostat

Programmable / smart thermostats that can be controlled remotely. Smaller per-unit rebate, often added to multi-measure projects as a low-cost qualifying upgrade.

Multi

Where Contract Link fits in.

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.

  • We figure out which pathway applies. Single-measure vs multi-measure isn't always obvious. We help you sort it before you commit to a contractor.
  • We vet the contractor quote. "The rebate covers it" is a common pitch — we read the actual line items, materials, warranty, and pricing the same way we audit any other quote. Rebate-eligible jobs aren't automatically fair-priced.
  • We flag the gotchas. Wrong R-value spec. Missing post-assessment plan. Contractor not on the approved list when they need to be. The small details that make rebates fall through.
  • We're paid by you, not the rebate program. No conflict of interest, no kickback for steering you to one pathway. The same independence that anchors every other Contract Link service.

Frequently asked questions.

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).

"The rebate covers it" isn't a contract. Let's read the actual quote.

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.