Toward Net-Zero Homes and Communities Program in Canada

Deadline: 31-Aug-22

The Government of Canada has announced the first call for proposals for the Toward Net-Zero Homes and Communities program to improve the energy efficiency of homes and reduce residential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the communities and neighbourhoods.

The program will help drive Canada’s progress toward net-zero building emissions by 2050. It seeks to empower communities — including Indigenous, rural and remote or under-resourced communities — to lead in the fight against climate change by supporting projects that increase energy reliability and efficiency while simultaneously making homes and residences more comfortable and more affordable. In doing so, this program will also create good, sustainable, jobs across the country. 

This includes:

• Transitioning away from fossil-fuel home heating systems;
• Community-level net-zero homes initiatives;
• Requiring energy efficient homes evaluations at the time of sale;
• Deep retrofits of existing buildings through codes and incentives;
• Training programs and pilot initiatives for building codes; and
• Workforce readiness.

Objectives

The objectives of the program are to

• Support the implementation of original and creative tools and methods to facilitate Canada’s “Just Transition” to net-zero residential building emissions by 2050;
• Support initiatives to empower all residents, including professionals and other levels of government, to contribute to Canada’s “Just Transition” to net-zero residential building emissions by 2050; and
• Support Indigenous, rural or remote, and under-resourced communities in their efforts to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their residential GHG emissions.

Streams

This program is open to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations that are developing projects that target one of three streams:

• Addressing barriers to the adoption of energy-efficient technologies; 
• Capacity building in support of net-zero-energy–ready building codes; 
• Facilitating home energy labeling and disclosure to encourage deep energy retrofits. 

Funding & Duration Information

• The program will invest up to $14.6 million over the next four years.
  • 2022-23: $4,276,000
  • 2023-24: $4,276,000
  • 2024-25: $3,026,000
  • 2025-26: $3,026,000
• Funding will mostly be awarded for 1 or 2-year Projects. Funding for up to 4 years is also available for ambitious Projects that meet multiple objectives of the program (See introduction). The Stacking limits for the total funding from Canadian governments (federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal) is as follows.
• Up to one hundred percent (100%) of total project costs for:
  • Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their departments and agencies where applicable;
    • They encourage provincial and territorial governments to contribute some of their own funds to the Project to expand its reach and impact;
  • Indigenous governments or organizations (e.g. band councils, land claim organizations); and
  • Registered not-for-profit organizations.
• 75% of total project costs for other organizations.

Eligibility Criteria

Funding is open to:

• legal entities incorporated or registered in Canada (including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations) such as:
  • Electricity and gas utilities,
  • Energy efficiency consulting firms,
  • Companies,
  • Industry associations,
  • Research associations,
  • Standards organizations,
  • Indigenous groups,
  • Community groups,
  • Cooperatives,
  • Advocacy groups,
  • Canadian academic institutions, and
• governmental organizations (excluding the Federal government)
  • Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their departments and agencies where applicable
• Indigenous communities or governments
• other organizations and community and environmental groups.

For more information, visit Net-Zero Homes.

For more information, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2022/07/canada-launches-the-first-call-for-proposals-for-the-toward-net-zero-homes-and-communities-program.html