Government of Alberta Initiatives

In 2008, the Government of Alberta began working towards a Green Buildings Initiative to provide incentives to Albertans to improve their energy efficiency. Beginning in 2009, the province is investing $36 million dollars over three years towards a consumer rebate program for homeowners who retrofit their homes to improve their energy efficiency, and to new home buyers who buy energy efficiency homes. The rebates include:

  • An additional $100 provided to homeowners who complete the retrofit and the post-retrofit evaluation
  • A $1,500-10,000 rebate for new homes that achieve an EnerGuide efficiency rating of 80 or higher
  • $400-600 for the purchase of a high efficiency heating system
  • $250-300 for the purchase of an energy efficient water heater
  • Up to $3,150 for upgrades to insulation
  • Up to $3,000 for taxi owners/operators who purchase a gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle as a taxi
  • Rebates on grid-tied solar electric systems for Alberta farmers located anywhere within the province of Alberta, under the Growing Forward Solar PV Equipment Pilot Program

Many of these rebate programs are being run by Climate Change Central, a non-profit organization created as part of the Government of Alberta’s Strategy for Action on Climate Change, to encourage public participation in reducing green house gasses. For more information about the rebate program visit Climate Change Central.

Federal Government Initiatives

Equilibrium™ Communities Initiative 

  • EQuilibrium™ Communities is a three-year, $4.2M collaborative sustainable community demonstration initiative of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the Government of Canada’s ecoACTION initiatives. The initiative will continue until the end of 2012.

    The EQuilibrium™ Communities Initiative provides financial assistance for technical activities of selected neighbourhood development projects, which through their planning, design, implementation and operation, will improve current approaches in the areas of energy and water consumption, protection of the natural environment, land-use planning and sustainable transportation. Capital construction costs are not provided through the initiative.

Municipal Initiatives

Several Alberta municipalities provide energy efficiency rebates for homes and building projects. These include:

  • City of Edmonton:
    • The Way We Green: Environmental Strategic Plan: The Way We Green is the City of Edmonton’s new long-term environmental strategic plan, being developed to make Edmonton a national leader in setting and achieving the highest standards and environmental preservation and sustainability.
    • Carbon Dioxide Reduction Edmonton (CO2RE): Carbon Dioxide Reduction Edmonton is a community-wide initiative to permanently reduce local greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As part of this initiative, the City of Edmonton is offering the following programs:
      • Up to $250 rebate for insulation upgrades
  • City of Medicine Hat:
    • Hat Smart II, Medicine Hat’s environmental initiative, offers the following rebates for home retrofits (following a post-retrofit energy assessment). Up to:
      • $400 for furnace upgrade (min. 92% efficiency)
      • $400 for Hot Water Tank Upgrade
      • $400 for insulation and air sealing upgrade
      • $2000 incentive for green certification of new home and $1,500-$10,000 incentive for new home with EnerGuide rating above 80
      • $1,000 Solar Electric Lease Incentive
      • $1,000 Solar System Purchase Incentive
    • Hat Smart II also offers commercial incentive programs. Up to:
      • $5,000 for commercial conservation upgrades
      • $5,000 for energy conservation upgrades
  • City of Calgary
    • Community GHG Reduction Plan: In 2009, the City of Calgary signed the Calgary Climate Change Accord to reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050. The city is currently developing a strategic greenhouse gas plan to reduce emissions.
    • Residential Toilet Replacement Program: A $50 reward offered to residents who replace their toilets with an eligible low flow model.
  • City of Leduc
    • C3 Rebate Program: City of Leduc and  the Leduc Environmental Advisory Board (LEAB) have partnered with Climate Change Central to offer energy efficient rebates. Up to
      • $400 for high efficiency furnace
      • $50 for low-flush toilets
      • $75 for dual-flush toilets
  • City of Lethbridge

  • Strathcona County

  • Lac La Biche County, Red Deer County, City of Spruce Grove, and the City of Camrose: Save up to $100 on replacement toilet with low-flush/dual flush toilet.

Due to growing interest in energy efficiency rebates, the number of rebate programs is rising rapidly. Please contact your local municipality to find out if more rebates are available in your local area.

Date Updated:
RDP-2284