This week, Jean-Vincent, residential and commercial real estate broker with YE/SARRAZIN, presents 5 programs available in Quebec to help you improve the energy efficiency of your property.
Hydro-Québec's Logisvert program
Hydro-Québec’s Logisvert program grants subsidies for various energy efficiency measures, such as :
– Roof insulation and caulking to limit air leaks (Get up to $1,500) :
– The purchase of an induction stove (Get up to $250) or a heat pump dryer (Get up to $250);
– Installation of a heat pump for heating or cooling.
For example, Hydro-Québec offers financial assistance of up to $6,700 for the purchase of a heat pump. The amount of the grant may be higher, depending on the efficiency of the appliance. However, all interested homeowners should check whether the heat pump model they wish to install is on the list of eligible appliances. In fact, this subsidy could reach up to $22,000 if homeowners install a central heat pump combined with a heat storage unit.
This program can be particularly advantageous, as heat pumps can reduce energy consumption and cut heating costs by up to 40% during cold weather.
Eligible properties include single-family homes, semi-detached homes, townhouses, condominiums, multiplexes and apartment buildings with 19 units or fewer. In addition, apartments located in a 20-unit residential building are eligible.
The federal government's CAMT program
The Affordable Conversion from Oil to Heat Pump (CAMT) program offers homeowners heating with oil the opportunity to switch to an electric heat pump heating system. This switch can result in substantial savings, with reductions of up to several thousand dollars on their heating bills. In Quebec, financial assistance is available up to a maximum of $10,000. Eligible properties include: single-family homes, townhouses, mobile homes, permanently moored floating homes, low-rise multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) and multi-use buildings. However, to be eligible for this subsidy, you must meet the following criteria:
– Household income must be at or below the median after-tax income for the province or territory in which it resides (for example, in Montreal, it was $96,000 in 2022);
– The maximum eligibility threshold for a two-person household in Quebec is currently set at $78,775;
– The heat pump selected must be on the eligible list.
Did you know?
Heating oil is a non-renewable fossil fuel whose combustion generates large quantities of greenhouse gases. In fact, the Quebec government has banned the use of this type of heating in new construction as of December 31, 2021.
Quebec government's Rénoclimat
The provincial government also offers financial assistance to homeowners who wish to carry out work affecting insulation, building airtightness and the replacement of doors or windows. Dwellings eligible for the program include houses, duplexes, triplexes and multi-unit residential buildings, provided they do not exceed three storeys above ground and have a footprint less than or equal to 600 m².
To qualify for this program, you must request an energy evaluation of the property before any work is carried out, and a second energy evaluation after the work has been completed. Generally speaking, the more the work improves the airtightness of the building, the greater the amounts offered by Rénoclimat. For example, for changes to roof or exterior wall insulation, the amounts range from $50 to $3,750. For doors and windows, the financial assistance is $150 per gross opening.
The federal government's Canada Green Housing Loan
Municipal programs
In addition to the four programs mentioned above, several other municipal programs are available throughout Quebec to support energy efficiency work. It’s a good idea to consult your municipality’s website before undertaking any work, to find out what financial assistance you may be entitled to. In Montreal, for example, the RénoPlex program offers various subsidies for owners of 1 to 5-unit income properties, such as:
– 500 for the installation of a planted surface or honeycomb paving ;
– Over $9,000 for the installation of a watertight garage door;
– 352 to repair a crack;
– 88 per square metre for the installation of a green roof.
In short, there are a variety of programs for property occupants in Quebec, offering considerable benefits. However, it’s essential that homeowners take the time to find out all they can before starting any work, to ensure their eligibility and maximize the benefits of available subsidies. However, if you have any questions about these various subsidies, don’t hesitate to contact our real estate brokers in Montreal. They’ll be happy to answer all your questions.
