Energy Efficiency Programs and Rebates in Québec

UPDATE: Some energy savings programs below were scrapped by organizations. The previous information is still available on this page in case you need to check historical data and the program’s stats.

Consumers in Québec can take advantage of the province’s varied energy efficiency programs, grants and rebates to make their homes or businesses more cost-effective and environment-friendly. From smart thermostats to larger purchases, such as boilers for large industrial sites, there are plenty of incentives in Québec to reduce your natural gas and electricity consumption.

Most of these energy-efficient incentives come from the main institutions and organizations in Québec, including but not limited to:

• The Government of Québec
• Hydro-Québec
• Énergir
• Gazifère

Transition énergétique Québec (Government of Québec)

The Rénoclimat Program is eligible for almost any type of house in Québec, including dwellings, duplexes, triplexes and multi-unit residential buildings (with four to 20 suites). The main goal behind the program is to provide households with energy efficiency information and home improvement consultation.

Rénoclimat helps consumers to renovate their homes in a more energy-efficient way, which enables homeowners to reduce both their carbon footprint and energy costs. As reported on the program’s official website, Rénoclimat helps participants to save approximately 20% on their heating bills once the renovation is done. The program started in 2017 and will be available until March 31, 2021.

Hydro-Québec rebates

* The rebate was scrapped by the provincial government in 2022.

Hydro-Québec currently offers an instant $100 rebate for consumers who choose to buy an ECOPEAK® water heater over a traditional water heater. Alongside being more eco-friendly, these water heaters help reduce the electricity demand during peak hours in the mornings and evenings.

To get an instant rebate from the ECOPEAK  water heater, consumers in Québec must purchase the appliance from one of the participating partners, including ACE, CANAC, HydroSolution, Réno-Dépôt and RONA.

Hydro-Québec Efficient Farming Products Programs

This program aims to help farmers switch some eligible equipment to environmentally friendly ones, which improves energy efficiency consequentially helping with energy bills – decreasing electricity or natural gas consumption.

* The amount of the rebate applies to equipment or device purchase and installation costs.

To better know the participation guide you can check this file created to detail everything you should know about it.

Énergir rebates and grants for homes and businesses

Residential

Énergir is Québec’s largest natural gas distributor and offers one of the largest rebate programs in the province, and they can provide you with several grants to help you choose energy-efficient solutions for your home or business.  Some of the equipment and programs available through Énergir’s energy efficiency grants include:

Énergir can provide you with several grants to help you choose energy-efficient solutions for your home. Check the list of equipment and programs below to learn more about available grants. There are several options to choose from that you may be able to benefit from and save yourself money in the long run – and upfront. 

• The Combo system grant heats all rooms and provides hot water to combine your comfort needs, it’s called a combo because the water heater is combined with a fan coil unit that heats the air. This installation will save energy, and space. The grant for a very high-efficiency combo system concerns a “warm air” combo system with a condensing tankless water heater and an eligible fan coil with certified superior energy efficiency (CAS P9. Standard) 

•  Énergir offers $850 for a very high-efficiency combo system. (Note:  The grant for an energy condensing combination system is no longer on offer since October 1st, 2023. You can contact Énergir to ask what their current offer is for combo systems, as it changes)

• Supplement for low-income households is offered by Energir as supplementary financial assistance to low-income households of up to double the amount of the usual energy efficiency program grant. 

To be eligible for the program:  

1. You have to be a current or about-to-be-a-customer of Energir 
2. You have to be a low-income owner of a single-family home or duplex or triplex with one or more low-income tenants OR Owner of a condo, a single-family home or duplex or triplex with one or more low-income tenants 
3. You have to be participating in one of Energir’s energy efficient grants: Smart Thermostat, Condensing hot water boiler, or Condensing combo system 
4. Your family income is equal to or below the income threshold shown in the following table, or rent one or more units to low-income households eligible for the program. 

Owners of four or more units with low-income tenants, as well as NPOs housing cooperatives, may benefit from this program. Visit the Energir page for more information or talk to a customer support agent, as they can help with more detailed questions.

For low-income owners of a single-family home, duplex, or triplex, the supplement could double the amount of financial assistance, as the supplement for example is $220 for the smart thermostats. 

As another example that Energir has listed, the following chart is how the supplementary financial assistance is calculated for a low-income owner who is eligible for $900 in financial assistance toward the purchase and installation of a condensing boiler. 

Energir has more information about the program details that may not answered or available online and they can be found in their Participant’s Guide PDF, or you can contact them directly as all of the information that you need such as eligibility criteria, program completion steps, and forms to complete are all there.  

Smart Thermostats are another grant that Energir offers that can help offset the costs of switching over to renewable/better energy usage and they can help save you money by better regulating your heat and cooling. The main advantage of a smart thermostat is that it’s connected to a wireless internet network, allowing you to control your home’s heating or cooling system remotely. The mobile app used to control your thermostat lets you, as an example, set the temperature in your home even when you’re away at work or travelling. The mobile apps make programming the thermostat a breeze once it’s all set with the number of people in your home, and set temperatures, the thermostat will adjust and provide personalized recommendations to improve your energy performance. 

The smart thermostat grant must be ENERGY STAR certified and on the list of eligible models. The grant covers a maximum of 75% of the cost of the device. A list of eligible smart thermostats is available here. 

Business 

One of Energir’s objectives is to help its customers reduce their energy consumption. Since 2001, they’ve been offering its customers energy efficiency programs for purchasing high-efficiency appliances or for implementing energy efficiency projects. These programs allow you to reduce your energy consumption, save on operating costs, and invest more in growth. Grants available for businesses are vast and there are many to list, all of which can be seen here on their website.  

Efficient Appliances for Business include: 

• Condensing and mid-efficiency hot water boiler 

• Condensing unit heater 

• Infrared heating unit 

• Variable speed good 

• Smart thermostat

Energy audits and implementation 

• Study and implementation 

• Recommissioning 

• Energy management system 

• Optimizing boiler systems 

• Steam trap maintenance 

 Efficient construction and renovation 

• Construction 

• Renovation – small buildings 

• Renovation – large buildings

Renewable energy  

• Solar preheating

Efficient innovation 

• Innovation

Low-income household support 

• Supplement for low-income households

Renovation for businesses is a program that’s aimed at encouraging renovations that will improve the thermal envelope of buildings to make them more energy efficient. 

For small buildings (which consume less than 150,000 m3 of natural gas per year) Energir has a few options, such improving a building’s thermal envelope. The work for that may include replacing windows and improving the insulation of walls and roofs. Projects aimed at insulating roofs and/or walls must show an improvement in energy performance compared with what prevailed before the renovation work. To learn more and consult the performance criteria to be exceeded, Energir suggests that you get in touch with their support. 

Calculation of the grant for windows, walls, and roofs is available for up to a maximum of 7.5% of the cost of purchase and installation of the new windows, and walls up to a maximum of 75% of the cost of purchase and installation. 

The grant for large business buildings is the same as for smaller ones, just for buildings larger than 150,000 m3/year and greenhouses as well. Large building grants also include insulating greenhouses. 

Construction for grants is focused on constructing energy-efficient buildings that will reduce their operating expenses and increase their resale value. Study and implementation is a program divided into two components that aim the study and implementation of energy efficiency measures to optimize the use of natural gas and reduce energy consumption such as heat recovery, the optimization of the steam network, or the optimization of the boiler room. 

Recommissioning encourages the process of recommissioning existing mechanical systems in buildings in order to reduce annual energy consumption. Solar preheating encourages the purchase and installation of a solar air preheating system for space or water preheating systems.  

For more information on Energir’s grants with details that can only be accessed through contacting their support, or if you have any questions, they are always available to help. 

Gazifère green programs for residential and commercial customers

Gazifère residential customers in Québec can currently enjoy at least three different energy efficiency offers:

Air exchanger with heat recovery ventilator (HVR): This program provides up to $400  in financial support for consumers who buy an air exchanger equipped with a heat recovery system.

Condensing tankless water heater: Alongside the savings of using a condensing tankless water heater, Québec consumers can save even more by applying for the $500 rebate offered by Gazifère.

Gazifère energy efficiency programs for commercial energy consumers: Commercial and institutional customers can also get financial support for the purchase of energy-efficient appliances. The Intermediate Energy-Efficiency Boiler program, for example, provides $600-$6,000 financial assistance for commercial consumers who purchase an intermediate boiler with an energy efficiency rating of 85% or better. The rebate program covers part of the costs of renting or purchasing such appliances. * The program was scrapped by Gazifère in 2022.