Guelph Greener Homes

You’re invited!

Join us for an information session on March 28 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at City Hall (1 Carden Street) in the Margaret Mackinnon room. Learn about the Guelph Greener Homes Program and ask questions.

A greener Guelph begins at home

We are now accepting applications to the Guelph Greener Homes program.

Start your application

Application stages

Please to not start the installation until approval. Stage 1 - Register; property tax roll number, address, contact info etc. Stage 2 - Request funds: pre-retrofit energy audit report, contractor quotes, amounts of other loans/grants; release initial loan (if requested). Stage 3 - complete project: post-retrofit energy audit report, invoices, amounts of other loans/grants; release final loan.

Helping Guelph go green, one home at a time

A greener future begins at home. In support of Race To Zero, the City plans to offer a zero-interest loan to residential property owners in Guelph to help cover the costs of residential energy efficiency upgrades. The launch of Guelph Greener Homes will help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and make homes more energy-efficient, comfortable, and climate-friendly.


Program highlights


Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make your home more comfortable.

Energy and utility cost savings.

More affordable low carbon retrofits for your home.

Who’s eligible?

  • Residential low-rise buildings in Guelph with a property tax account with the City;
  • All registered owner(s) of the property must consent to participating in the Program;
  • Properties with no back taxes or liens or title disputes;
  • Property must be more than five (5) years old;
  • The home improvements haven’t started yet.

Loan program

The Guelph Greener Homes Program offers a 0% interest loan to help Guelph households cover the cost of energy-efficiency upgrades to their homes.

  • 0% interest
  • Up to $50,000
  • 10-year payback (added to the property tax bill)
  • Lump sum repayments limited to one time in a year are allowed
  • No program administration fee will apply

Loan term
10 years

Interest rate
0%

Program administration fee
$0

Maximum loan amount
$50,000

Initial deposit/down payment amount
20% of total project cost up to a maximum of $10,000.

Grant program

The Guelph Greener Homes Program offers a grant (up to $15,000) to low-income applicants for air-source heat pumps. These grants are for property owners who are primary residents of their owned property, and whose household income fits within levels as defined in the table below and the current value assessment (CVA) of the property is equal to or less than $350,000. The CVA can be found on your City of Guelph property tax bill.

Number of people in the home Before-tax household income
1 $42,437
2 $60,014
3 $73,501
4 $84,872
5 $94,890
6 $103,947
7+ $112,275

The Guelph Greener Homes program Low-income grants is subject to availability.

No program administration fee will apply.

Program administration fee
$0

Maximum loan amount
$50,000

Initial deposit/down payment amount
30% of total project cost up to a maximum of $10,000.

Eligible measures

Guelph Greener Homes Efficiency Upgrade Measures infographic

Building envelope

  • Thermal insulation
  • Air-sealing
  • Window and door repair/replacement, and more!

Heating systems

  • Air source heat pumps and cold climate air source heat pumps
  • Heat pump water heaters
  • Heat recovery systems

Control systems

  • Smart or programmable thermostats (eligible only if combined with any other eligible home improvements)

Renewable energy systems

  • Solar photovoltaic systems
  • Solar hot water systems

Home improvements may require a building permit. Visit guelph.ca/building or contact Building Services (519-837-5615 or [email protected]) for more information.

Information brochures

Print-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: EnglishPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: French
Information brochures are also available in other non-English spoken languages in Guelph.Print-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: ArabicPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: FarsiPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: FilipinoPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: HindiPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: ItalianPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: PolishPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: PunjabiPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: Simplified ChinesePrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: SpanishPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: TigrinyaPrint-friendly Guelph Greener Homes brochure: Vietnamese

Did you know…

There are other energy grant and loan programs. The Guelph Greener Homes program is being designed to work with these other programs to make more supports available for homes in Guelph.

Kindly note that some grant programs have paused their intake process. Please speak to your energy auditor to check if you are eligible to receive the grant under these programs.

$25,000 energy project cost minus $10,000 other grants or loans (Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate Plus, Canada Greener Homes Loan) equals $15000 Guelph Greener Homes loan

The values in this diagram are for example purposes and these values are subject to change as per the project parameters.

Here are some useful links:

The EnerGuide home evaluation provides a standard measure of a home’s energy performance and is carried out by an energy advisor who is registered with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Under the Guelph Greener Homes Program, the property owner(s) is required to hire an energy advisor who is registered by NRCan to perform a pre-project EnerGuide home evaluation and, after the home improvements are complete, a post-project EnerGuide home evaluation. Please choose from the list of certified energy advisors.

All eligibility and performance criteria for the Canada Greener Homes Grant and Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate Plus requirements apply to the Guelph Greener Homes program.

Frequently asked questions

Let’s fight fraud together!

Scams and fraudulent tactics can be quite believable and can happen to any of us. To protect yourself and others, we need to know the warning signs.

  • Refuse any in-home inspection from a door-to-door salesperson
  • Never sign anything
  • Do your research and double-check everything
  • Know your weaknesses
  • Avoid giving out personal information, online, over the phone or in person
  • Report suspected scams
  • Help others

How to recognize energy scams.

For more information

For more information about the Guelph Greener Homes program contact [email protected] or 519-822-1260 extension 3984.


This project was carried out with assistance from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund, an endowment created by the Government of Canada.