By the Solar X Team, ESA/ECRA Licensed (ECRA/ESA 7017538). Published . Updated .
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What is the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program?
CGHAP is the federal government's retrofit program for households that the old rebate model left behind. According to Natural Resources Canada, it gives low and median income homeowners and tenants no cost retrofits such as insulation and heat pumps. Delivery began in 2025 through participating provinces and territories (Natural Resources Canada).
The program uses a direct install approach. Direct install means one organization in your province plans the work, hires the contractors and pays the bills. You never pay out of pocket. That is the core difference from the old grant, which made homeowners pay first and claim the money back later.
Who qualifies for CGHAP?
Eligibility comes down to three things, and your province controls the details.
- Income. The program is for low and median income households. Each province sets its own income limits.
- Tenure. Both homeowners and tenants can benefit. The September 2025 federal launch confirmed that tenants are included for the first time (Government of Canada, September 2025).
- Location. You must live in a participating province. You apply through that province's own program, not through the federal government.
Which provinces have CGHAP as of August 2026?
Five provinces have signed agreements. Manitoba moved first with a federal commitment of nearly $30 million to Efficiency Manitoba in September 2025. On June 29, 2026 the federal government announced expansion to four more provinces. The expansion carries over $500 million in funding, and $300 million of that is federal. It aims to reach over 35,000 low and median income households. Ottawa expects participants to save between $300 and $1,700 per year on energy costs (Government of Canada, June 2026).
| Province | Delivery partner | Status as of August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Manitoba | Efficiency Manitoba | Open, Energy Efficiency Assistance Program |
| British Columbia | BC Hydro and FortisBC | Open, Energy Conservation Assistance Program |
| Quebec | Hydro Quebec | Open, apply through Hydro Quebec |
| Nova Scotia | EfficiencyOne | Open, HomeWarming and African Nova Scotian Communities Retrofit |
| Prince Edward Island | efficiencyPEI | Open, Free Home Insulation program |
| Ontario | None | Not participating as of August 2026 |
Natural Resources Canada confirmed in July 2026 that residents of all five provinces can now apply. Its program page links to each provincial application path.
Is CGHAP available in Ontario?
No. Ontario has not signed a CGHAP agreement as of August 2026. There is no delivery organization for the province, no application portal, and no announced date for Ontario to join. Some third party websites list Ontario as a participating province, but Ontario does not appear on Natural Resources Canada's list of participating provinces.
What this means for Ontario homeowners:
- Nobody can sign you up for CGHAP in Ontario today. Anyone claiming they can is a red flag.
- Waiting for CGHAP is not a strategy. The program is income qualified, so most households will not meet the income limits even if Ontario joins later. Ontario already has live options, covered below and on our Ontario solar page.
Does CGHAP cover solar panels?
This is where a lot of online coverage gets it wrong. The September 2025 launch release states that retrofits may include insulation, air sealing, heat pumps, solar panels, windows and doors. The June 2026 expansion release names only heat pumps, better insulation, improved air sealing and other upgrades. The provincial programs running today focus on heat pumps, insulation and air sealing, not solar. British Columbia's expanded program, for example, lists heat pumps, insulation and other weatherization and ventilation upgrades (BC Hydro).
The honest summary: solar panels are a possible measure at the federal level. Each province decides what it actually funds. No live provincial program is promising free solar panels as of August 2026. If a company says the government will put free solar on your roof through CGHAP, be careful. Verify the claim with your provincial delivery organization before signing anything.
How is CGHAP different from the old Greener Homes Grant?
| Old Canada Greener Homes Grant | CGHAP |
|---|---|
| Paid up to $5,000 back after the homeowner paid first | Retrofits installed at no cost to the participant |
| Open to homeowners broadly | Targeted to low and median income households |
| Homeowners only | Homeowners and tenants |
| Homeowner arranged the contractor and paperwork | Provincial delivery organization manages the work |
| Closed to new applicants in February 2024 | Live in five provinces as of August 2026 |
The old model worked for homeowners who could pay first and wait to be reimbursed. It left out families who could not front the cost. The official closed program page confirms the grant paid $125 to $5,000 to homeowners and took applications from May 2021 to February 2024 (Natural Resources Canada, closed grant page). The CGHAP column comes from the current program page. It confirms no cost delivery, income targeting, tenant eligibility and the five open provinces (Natural Resources Canada, CGHAP program page). CGHAP flips that model: no upfront payment, but a much narrower group of eligible households.
What Ontario homeowners can use instead
Ontario has two live paths for residential solar, and you generally choose one.
Path 1: Home Renovation Savings rebate. The official program offers up to $5,000 for rooftop solar. One rule matters before you choose it. Homeowners who take the incentive are not eligible for a net metering agreement with their utility. The incentive is for load displacement only (Home Renovation Savings). Load displacement means all the power your panels make is used inside your own home. None of it is exported to the grid.
Path 2: Net metering. Net metering is a deal with your utility. Surplus solar power you send to the grid earns credits at your retail rate. You get no rebate on this path. The provincial regulator explains the rules and eligibility, and your utility confirms what your home qualifies for (Ontario Energy Board).
Which path wins depends on how you use power, your roof, and whether you want a battery. Our comparison of the HRS rebate and net metering walks through the math, and our residential solar page covers how an assessment works. Solar X models both paths against your actual hydro usage before recommending either one. Rebates, approvals and utility connections are never guaranteed, so every quote we produce states its assumptions.
What about Alberta, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick?
Solar X serves Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, so here is where CGHAP stands in each service province as of August 2026.
Nova Scotia. The only Solar X service province where CGHAP is live. The program expands two existing EfficiencyOne offers, HomeWarming and the African Nova Scotian Communities Retrofit program. Income qualified households should start there. Households above the income limits still have solar options today, covered on our Nova Scotia solar page.
Alberta. Not a participating province as of August 2026, with no agreement or delivery organization announced. Homeowners who want to cut their power bills now can start with our Alberta solar page.
New Brunswick. Also not participating as of August 2026. Our New Brunswick solar page covers what is available there today.
If your province joins later, the participating list on the Natural Resources Canada page is the source to trust, not third party blogs.
How to apply if your province participates
- Confirm your province is on the participating list on the Natural Resources Canada CGHAP page.
- Go directly to your provincial delivery organization, such as Efficiency Manitoba.
- Check the income thresholds for your household size.
- Apply through the provincial program and complete any required home assessment.
- Approved organizations schedule and complete the retrofit at no cost to you.
One warning worth repeating from Natural Resources Canada: no third parties are approved to make unsolicited contact about CGHAP. The federal government never solicits by phone, email or door to door. If someone shows up at your door offering CGHAP retrofits, it is not the program.
The Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program is a genuine improvement for the households it targets. For everyone else, especially in Ontario, the smarter move is to run the numbers on the programs that exist today. Waiting on an announcement with no date is not a plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program?
The Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program, or CGHAP, is a federal program that funds free energy retrofits for low and median income households in Canada. Covered upgrades include heat pumps, insulation and air sealing. A delivery organization in your province manages and pays for the work. Participants pay nothing out of pocket. Delivery started in Manitoba in 2025 and expanded to four more provinces in June 2026.
Is the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program available in Ontario?
No. As of August 2026, Ontario has no CGHAP agreement, no delivery organization and no application portal. Natural Resources Canada lists Manitoba, British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island as the participating provinces. Ontario homeowners who want to cut their electricity bills now can use the Home Renovation Savings rebate or net metering instead.
Does CGHAP cover free solar panels?
Not in any live program so far. The September 2025 federal launch release lists solar panels as a possible retrofit. The provincial programs running today centre on heat pumps, insulation and air sealing. Each province decides which measures it funds. Treat any company promising free solar panels through CGHAP with caution and confirm details with your provincial delivery organization.
Can renters apply for CGHAP?
Yes. CGHAP is the first program in the federal Greener Homes initiative open to tenants as well as homeowners. Each provincial delivery organization sets the eligibility rules, income limits and tenant application process. Renters in participating provinces should check their provincial program page for the exact steps.
How do I apply for CGHAP?
You apply through your province, not through the federal government. If your province participates, contact its delivery organization, such as Efficiency Manitoba. Confirm your income eligibility and follow its application steps. Natural Resources Canada warns that no third parties are approved to sign people up. Ignore unsolicited calls, emails or door to door offers.
Is CGHAP the same as the old Canada Greener Homes Grant?
No. The old grant reimbursed up to $5,000 after homeowners paid for upgrades themselves, and it closed to new applicants in February 2024. CGHAP instead installs retrofits at no cost and targets low and median income households. It includes tenants for the first time. Provincial organizations deliver the work instead of homeowners arranging their own contractors.
Is CGHAP available in Alberta or New Brunswick?
No. As of August 2026, neither Alberta nor New Brunswick has a CGHAP agreement or delivery organization. The participating provinces are Manitoba, British Columbia, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Homeowners in Alberta and New Brunswick can still cut their electricity costs with solar. Solar X serves both provinces along with Ontario and Nova Scotia.
Sources
- Natural Resources Canada, Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program (page modified July 2, 2026): natural-resources.canada.ca
- Government of Canada news release, September 12, 2025, Canada Launches Greener Homes Affordability Program: canada.ca
- Government of Canada news release, June 29, 2026, Canada drives lower bills and cleaner energy in Quebec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island: canada.ca
- Home Renovation Savings, rooftop solar incentive page: homerenovationsavings.ca
- BC Hydro, Energy Conservation Assistance Program (CGHAP expanded offers): bchydro.com
- Natural Resources Canada, Closed: Canada Greener Homes Grant: natural-resources.canada.ca
- Ontario Energy Board, net metering consumer page: oeb.ca