Home Energy Retrofit Financing Program

Applications will be accepted between April 1 and May 15, 2025.

Apply Here

Please email us at retrofit.financing@nanaimo.ca if you have any questions not answered on the website or have any difficulties applying.

Are you looking to install a heat pump? Do you want to add solar panels or improve the insulation in your home and don’t know how to finance it? You may be eligible for a zero-interest loan, that you can pay off with your property taxes. Starting on April 1, 2025, the City of Nanaimo will be accepting loan applications of up to $15,000. Loans are interest-free financing and repaid over 10 years through your property taxes.

EnerGuide Evaluation Discount 

Getting an EnerGuide Energy Efficiency Evaluation both before and after your improvement is a requirement for participation in the financing program.  Through this process, a professional energy advisor will assess your home from basement to the attic. They will give you an EnerGuide rating for your home and an energy efficiency report to help you make decisions about possible upgrades.  We understand the cost for this can be a barrier for some residents.  To help reduce the cost, financing participants will be offered a $200 discount on their pre-retrofit home energy evaluation.    Approximately 35 discounts will be provided to successful financing program applicants, priority for discounts will be determined by the date of program application.  This is in addition to the $150 pre-retrofit rebate already offered by the City of Nanaimo.  The cost for the post-retrofit EnerGuide Evaluation can be included in your loan agreement.  Don't forget to claim the City of Nanaimo's post-retrofit EnerGuide Evaluation.

Eligible Improvements:

• Switching from fossil fuel space heating to an electric heat pump.
•  Installing solar panels where the homeowner already has electric heating.
• Installing a backup battery where solar panels are already in place.
• Building envelope upgrades to reduce air leakage and improve energy efficiency, such as door and window replacements or adding insulation.
• Non-energy related measures that might impede energy retrofits or enhance health and wellbeing, such as better filters in heat pumps. These measures must be combined with one of the above retrofits. No more than 30% of the individual loan amount can be used to support non-energy measures.

Eligibility Requirements

• The property must be within the municipal boundaries of the City of Nanaimo.
• The funding must be used for one or more of the above eligible improvements.
• The property tax status must be in good standing.
• The applicant must apply to the program and sign a financing agreement before starting any work.
• Complete a pre-upgrade EnerGuide evaluation. 
• Work must be completed by an approved contractor.
• The applicant must join the free Home Energy Navigator program.

• Total household income must exceed the  CleanBC Better Homes Level 1 income threshold unless the household is accepted and registered in the CleanBC Better Homes Energy Savings Program (ESP);
• Households that qualify for loans through ESP will only be eligible for a City loan to cover any additional costs necessary for the eligible improvement beyond what is covered by ESP
• Households whose household income is above the 90^th percentile income threshold for the City of Nanaimo will not be eligible.
• Households with a maximum assessed property value above $1.23 million will not be eligible.  To see if your household income is above the 90^th percentile please check the chart below.
  

Scoring Criteria

The zero-interest home energy improvement financing program is a pilot program.  Funding is limited. Eligible applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Climate Impact: preference will be given to improvements that eliminate fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  If the proposed retrofit is not completed, is there a risk of increased emissions due to switching to a higher carbon energy system?
• Income/Equality: Applicants who qualify for income-qualified programs such as the BC Energy Savings Program, will be encouraged to apply for those grants before applying for a loan.  Seniors, especially those living alone, will also be prioritized.
• Energy Savings: home energy improvements that result in energy savings will be prioritized. 
• Climate Resilience: The scoring criteria will also consider how the improvement prepares the homeowner and residents for climate impacts.  Improvements that provide cooling (such as heat pumps) or help residents prepare for extreme storm events (solar and battery) will be encouraged.
  

More details to come in spring 2025.  To receive updates regarding the program, please email us at sustainability@nanaimo.ca

Watch the online information session from February 27:

Background Documents 

Terms and Conditions

Approved Contractors List

Council Report- Home Energy Retrofit Program Bylaw

Program Bylaw

June 19, 2024 Council Report