Rebate Programs

Government Incentives for Energy Conservation

Toilet Rebate Program

For more information on this program visit our Water Conservation page.

Home Energy Efficiency Improvements

We use 81 per cent of our energy at home for space heating and water heating, which represent 40 per cent of the total green house gas emissions for each individual in Canada. You can do many things to reduce your space and water heating costs and receive incentives for doing so.

Some grant programs are cumulative meaning you can combine the Federal, Provincial, Municipal and Utility incentive together.  The Federal “ecoENERGY program”, the Provincial “Ontario Home Audit Program”, and the City of Barrie Water Conservation program represent one such example.

PowerStream is offering the “Peak Saver” program. In this program residents sign up with PowerStream and are given a special programmable thermostat (valued at $300).  During periods when electrical consumption starts reaching high levels (typically Monday-Friday between 12 noon and 6 p.m. and never on weekends) PowerStream will cycle your air conditioning unit to reduce power consumption.

Enbridge gas offers $15 for a programmable thermostat.

How to Access Incentive Programs

• Get Audited. Schedule an energy efficiency audit by a qualified Natural Resources Canada licensed contractor. Licensed contractors for Barrie are available at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/new-home-improvement/contact-advisors.cfm?attr=4 ; simply enter your postal code to find a contractor near you.  The Province is offering $150 towards the cost of this audit (approximately 50 per cent of the cost). The Federal Government is not providing a rebate for the audit.
• Complete efficiency recommendations. Once your audit is complete the auditor will provide you with a list of recommendations on the spot along with the incentive offered by the Federal Government for the particular recommendation.  You have 18 months to complete the recommendations you choose and have a verification audit done by the qualified auditor. 
• Get paid! Once the recommendations are complete you become eligible for the incentive money. In the case of Ontario residents the Province will offer a matching incentive to the Federal incentive for each measure. 
• Additionally, the City of Barrie offers an incentive under the City’s water conservation program for six litre toilets that can also be added to the Federal and Provincial incentives.
• Enbridge gas offers incentives for high-efficiency gas furnaces that can be combined with some of the Federal and Provincial grant money.
• Both Federal and Provincial programs have a maximum incentive of $5,000 meaning you could receive up to $10,000 to implement the energy efficiency measures recommended. 

Visit http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/home-improvement.cfm?attr=0 for information about incentive levels offered by the Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments and Enbridge gas and descriptions of the various measures that may be recommended during the energy audit.