Community Efficiency Financing and Sustainable Affordable Housing projects

On October 2, 2026, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, announced funding for projects under the Community Efficiency Financing initiative and the Sustainable Affordable Housing initiative.

On October 2, 2026, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, announced funding for projects under the Community Efficiency Financing initiative and the Sustainable Affordable Housing initiative.

Together, these projects support energy efficiency improvements, emissions reductions, affordable housing innovation, residential retrofits, and innovative financing solutions across Canada.

The announcement includes:

• Community Efficiency Financing projects supporting residential retrofit financing programs, feasibility studies, and program design initiatives in municipalities across Canada.
• Sustainable Affordable Housing projects supporting low-carbon affordable housing construction, retrofit planning, feasibility studies, pilot projects, and capital projects.
• Projects are in every region of Canada, including:
  • 12 projects in Atlantic Canada
  • 36 projects in Quebec
  • 39 projects in Ontario
  • 36 projects across the Prairies
  • 38 projects in British Columbia
  • 1 project in Nunavut

Total funding announced: approximately $66.3 million

Community Efficiency Financing (CEF)

The Community Efficiency Financing initiative is supporting municipalities and organizations across Canada to develop and implement innovative financing mechanisms that help homeowners undertake energy-efficiency retrofits and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Examples include:

Project name: Community Efficiency Financing – Loans and Grants New – Town of Drayton Valley Clean Energy Improvement Program

Location: Town of Drayton Valley, Alberta

Funding: $1,444,480

Description: The Town of Drayton Valley will implement a Clean Energy Improvement Program using Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing to support residential energy upgrades.

Project name: Community Efficiency Financing – Loans and Grants New – Okotoks Clean Energy Improvement Program

Location: Town of Okotoks, Alberta

Funding: $1,717,280

Description: The Town of Okotoks will implement a residential retrofit financing program aligned with its climate action plan and targeted toward energy efficiency improvements in existing homes.

Project name: BetterHomes Huntsville

Location: Town of Huntsville, Ontario

Funding: $7,999,920

Description: BetterHomes Huntsville will provide homeowners with long-term financing options for energy-efficient home retrofits through a PACE-based financing model.

Project name: Implementing A Utility On-Bill Home Energy Financing Program in Waterloo

Location: Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario

Funding: $7,928,392

Description: RetrofitWR will support homeowners across the region with financing for deep energy retrofits through an innovative utility on-bill repayment model.

Project name: Implementing a Residential Energy Efficiency Program in London (BetterHomes London)

Location: City of London, Ontario

Funding: $5,318,788

Description: BetterHomes London will support residential energy-efficiency upgrades and deep retrofits through low-interest financing and energy concierge services.

Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH)

The Sustainable Affordable Housing initiative supports feasibility studies, planning projects, pilot projects, and affordable housing construction and retrofit projects designed to improve energy performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Examples include:

Project name: Sustainable Affordable Housing – Net-Zero Carbon Retrofit of an Affordable Housing Multi‑Residential Facility – Weaver’s Hill

Location: Region of Peel, Ontario

Funding: $10,000,000

Description: Net-zero carbon retrofit for a multi-residential affordable housing facility.

Project name: Studying Energy Performance Feasibility for an 85-Unit Multi-Family Affordable Housing Project

Location: Town of Banff, Alberta

Funding: $250,000

Description: Feasibility study for an energy-efficient affordable housing development in Banff.

Project name: New Brunswick Collaborative Housing Co-operative Affordable Housing Project

Location: City of Fredericton, New Brunswick

Funding: $250,000

Description: Feasibility study for a 97-unit net-zero-ready affordable housing building.

Project name: Village des Aînés de la Vallée de la Gatineau

Location: Kazabazua, Quebec

Funding: $500,000

Description: Pilot project supporting the construction of a net-zero affordable housing building.

Project name: Multifaith Housing Initiative Retrofit Pilot

Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Funding: $500,000

Description: Retrofit pilot designed to reduce energy use in affordable rental housing through deep-energy retrofits.

Additional Sustainable Affordable Housing projects are in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.