Ottawa relaunches greener homes retrofit program in four provinces

The federal government is bringing back its greener homes retrofit program in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and British Columbia after a previous pause. Ministers Julie Dabrusin and Tim Hodgson announced the relaunch on Monday at an energy efficiency conference in Montreal. The new version, called the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program, is aimed at low and moderateincome households, including renters. According to the government, more than $500 million in funding will support upgrades such as heat pumps, insulation and air sealing for more than 35,000 households, with the work covered at no cost to participants. Unlike the earlier grant program, which was open only to homeowners and paid households back after they spent money on retrofits, the updated program will be administered by provinces. It has already started in Manitoba, while Ottawa says it is still working with other provinces and territories on rollout timing. The government also says the program will include dedicated support for Indigenous governments and representative organizations through existing agreements.