Ontario Home Renovation Savings: the mistake that costs homeowners the rebate
Up to $7,700 for insulation. $100 a window. $250 for air sealing. The money is real and the program is running. But there is one rule that disqualifies more claims than every other reason combined, and almost nobody hears about it until it is too late.
Do not start the work first
Pre-approval is mandatory, and it has to happen before installation. Starting work early is the number one reason claims get rejected.
It is not a technicality anyone can wave through afterwards. If the insulation is already blown into the attic when you apply, that job is ineligible. The rebate is gone. There is no appeal that fixes it, because the program is designed around approving the work in advance.
The order that works:
- Talk to a participating contractor
- Get the job pre-approved
- Then book the work
It is genuinely that simple, and people lose thousands by doing steps two and three in the wrong order because a contractor had a cancellation and could start Tuesday.
What it pays
The Home Renovation Savings Program is delivered by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy with support from the Government of Ontario, and is confirmed to run through November 2026.
- Insulation: up to $7,700
- Windows: $100 per window
- Air sealing: $250
- Heat pumps: roughly $500 per ton for gas-heated homes, $1,250 per ton for homes heated with electricity, oil, propane or wood. Most cold-climate air-source installations land between $1,500 and $7,500
- Geothermal: near $12,000
Also covered: air conditioning, smart thermostats and doors.
Current details and the list of participating contractors are at homerenovationsavings.ca. Confirm the figures there before you plan around them. Rebate programs change and we would rather you check than take our word for it.
Do you need an energy assessment?
Depends what you are doing.
A heat pump on its own counts as a single-measure upgrade, so no pre-retrofit energy assessment is required. You work directly with a registered installing contractor.
For insulation, windows and air sealing, you generally go through the assessment path. That is also how the larger insulation amounts get unlocked, so it is usually worth doing rather than something to avoid.
What we do, and what we do not
We do not install heat pumps. That requires a registered HVAC installer and it is a licensed trade. If a heat pump is what you need, we will tell you and point you at someone rather than take the job and figure it out later.
What we do is the building envelope:
- Attic and wall insulation
- Rim joist and basement header insulation, which is a bigger heat loss than people expect
- Air sealing, weatherstripping and caulking
- Window and door replacement
- Storm door and threshold work
On an older York Region or Toronto-area house that is usually where the money and the comfort both are. Post-war bungalows around here frequently have very little attic insulation by modern standards, plus significant leakage around rim joists and window frames. It is unglamorous work that shows up on the January bill.
Asked most often about the rebates
What is the number one reason Ontario rebate claims get rejected?
Starting the work before pre-approval. Pre-approval through a participating contractor is mandatory and cannot be granted after the fact. If the insulation is already in the attic when you apply, that job is ineligible. Get the approval first, then book the work.
How much does the Home Renovation Savings Program pay for insulation?
Up to $7,700 for insulation through the assessment path, plus $100 per window and $250 for air sealing. Heat pumps run roughly $500 per ton for gas-heated homes and $1,250 per ton for electric, oil, propane or wood, with geothermal near $12,000.
How long does the program run?
Delivered by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy with support from the Government of Ontario, and confirmed to run through November 2026. Program terms change, so confirm current details at homerenovationsavings.ca.
Do I need an energy assessment first?
Depends. A heat pump alone is a single-measure upgrade and needs no pre-retrofit assessment. Insulation, windows and air sealing generally go through the assessment path, which is also how the larger insulation amounts unlock.
Do you install heat pumps?
No, and we will tell you that up front. Heat pump rebates require a registered HVAC installer, which is a licensed trade. We do the building envelope: insulation, windows, doors and air sealing. If you need a heat pump we will point you at someone.
Is the rebate worth doing on an older GTA house?
Usually worth more, not less. Post-war bungalows across York Region, Toronto and Peel often have very little attic insulation by modern standards and real air leakage around rim joists and windows. That is exactly what the program pays the most for, and what shows up on your heating bill fastest.
Rebate amounts, eligibility and program dates are set by the program administrators and change over time. Nothing here replaces confirming current details at homerenovationsavings.ca or with a participating contractor.
Get it approved first. Then we book it.
Tell us what the house is doing, cold rooms, drafts, ice damming, a heating bill that keeps climbing. We will tell you what is worth doing and in what order. Free consultation.