Everything You Need to Know About Insulation Grants

Even when winter is mild, does your heating bill keep climbing? Once you have made sure that all potential air leaks are properly sealed, it may be time to reassess your home’s insulation.

In some cases, a few minor improvements are enough to make a noticeable difference. In others, however, the cost of properly insulating a home can be daunting. Several grants are available to Quebec homeowners looking to improve their home’s insulation.

Here is what you need to know to make an informed decision.

Grant Applications: Eligibility Requirements and How to Apply

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The purpose of insulation is to slow down heat loss. This helps reduce energy consumption and save money. Insulation’s resistance to heat flow is measured using RSI and R-values.

By choosing the right materials and having them properly installed, your home will be more comfortable, and your heating system will not have to work as hard.

To determine where to begin, which type of insulation to choose, and how much is needed in each area, homeowners can consult an insulation specialist or an energy efficiency expert. To achieve short-term savings, they can also take advantage of government grants.

As Valentin Lamoulie of DuraClim explains, the process is straightforward. After registering for the program of your choice, an energy advisor will visit your home and provide a report outlining the amount and quality of its insulation. The advisor will also identify improvements that could increase the building’s energy efficiency and estimate the potential savings.

According to Mr. Lamoulie, “Of all the grants available in Quebec, the Rénoclimat grant is the most popular for insulation projects.”

Rénoclimat Program

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The Rénoclimat program supports Quebec property owners, including individuals and businesses, with residential renovation projects designed to improve their building’s energy efficiency.

Nearly all types of homes are eligible, including single-family homes, semi-detached and townhouses, rooming houses, mobile homes, four-season cottages, duplexes, triplexes, and residential buildings with no more than three storeys and a total area not exceeding 600 square metres.

By registering for the program, homeowners receive personalized advice from a Rénoclimat energy advisor. The evaluation fees are reimbursed once the work is completed, and participants may also qualify for financial assistance toward eligible renovations.

One of the program’s greatest advantages is that the same property can participate more than once. Why not take advantage of it?

Eligibility Criteria for a Roof Insulation Grant

To qualify for financial assistance, the insulation work must cover at least 20% of the roof’s total surface area. The grant may provide up to $1,500, depending on the types of roofing involved, their respective surface areas, and the insulation value achieved once the work is completed.

Eligibility Criteria for an Exterior Wall Insulation Grant

Planning to replace your home’s exterior siding? This is an ideal opportunity to improve its insulation. Through the Rénoclimat program, you may receive up to $3,750 toward the work.

To qualify, the insulation must be improved on at least 20% of the total surface area of the home’s exterior walls.

Eligibility Criteria for a Foundation Insulation Grant

To qualify for financial assistance, the insulation work must cover at least 20% of the total surface area of the foundation walls.

When a home has both a basement and a crawl space, the financial assistance is calculated proportionally according to the surface area of each. Homeowners may receive up to $2,500 for a foundation with a basement and up to $2,000 for a crawl space.

Eligibility Criteria for an Exposed-Floor Insulation Grant

Exposed floors are located above an unheated space, such as a bedroom floor above an unheated garage. By insulating the entire exposed-floor area, with a minimum surface area of 14 m², homeowners may receive a grant of $380.

Canada Greener Homes Grant Initiative

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The federal initiative launched in May 2021, which offered the Canada Greener Homes Grant, is no longer accepting new applications.

The grant program, originally expected to run until 2027, ended earlier than announced. Its popularity exceeded expectations, causing the available funding to be depleted sooner than anticipated.

Different grant amounts were available for various parts of the building envelope. The amount awarded depended on the surface area being insulated and the insulating value of the selected materials, including the level of insulation added.

All products and equipment used had to be purchased in Canada. Online purchases also had to be made through a Canadian distributor. Certain restrictions applied to semi-detached homes and townhouses.

In Quebec, registering for the Rénoclimat program was the only way to access this grant. Once participation in Rénoclimat was completed, the application was automatically transferred to the Canada Greener Homes Grant team. That team would then contact the homeowner to confirm eligibility for the federal program and provide information about the amount of financial assistance available.

Eligibility Criteria for a Roof Insulation Grant

At least 20% of the roof’s total surface area must be reinsulated, whether it is a sloped, cathedral, or flat roof, including the attic. The work must increase the insulation level, measured using an R-value or RSI value, in accordance with the table provided on the program’s website.

Any additional insulation material must be installed in the same area where insulation was present during the pre-renovation evaluation. The grant amount is calculated on a prorated basis according to the percentage of the roof’s total surface area that is reinsulated, including inaccessible areas, up to a maximum of $1,800.

Eligibility Criteria for an Exterior Wall Insulation Grant

At least 20% of the total surface area of the exterior walls must be insulated, excluding foundation walls. The grant amount is calculated based on the percentage of walls being reinsulated and the insulation value of the selected materials, up to a maximum of $5,000.

Eligibility Criteria for an Exposed-Floor Insulation Grant

To qualify for the grant, the entire exposed floor must be insulated. The total area must be at least 11 m² (120 sq. ft.), whether it consists of one room or several smaller areas. Crawl spaces are not eligible.

Eligibility Criteria for a Basement Insulation Grant

To qualify for the grant, at least 20% of the basement or crawl-space wall area must be insulated. In addition, at least 80% of the total rim-joist area must be sealed and insulated, along with at least 50% of the total slab area.

When a home has both a basement and a crawl space, the grant amounts are calculated on a prorated basis according to the total wall area, up to a maximum of $1,500.

Eligibility Criteria for a Crawl-Space Insulation Grant

 Although crawl spaces are often overlooked, they can be insulated in several ways, including insulating the walls from the inside or outside or installing insulation beneath the floor of the room above.

By adding insulation to the crawl-space walls, rim joists, and ceiling, as well as insulating the walls below ground level, homeowners may qualify for a grant of up to $1,500.

RénoRégion Program

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Funded by the Société d’habitation du Québec, the RénoRégion program provides financial assistance to low-income owner-occupants living in rural areas who undertake renovations to correct major defects in their homes.

To qualify, applicants must meet the program’s requirements regarding annual household income, the value of the building, and its location. Eligible areas include municipalities with fewer than 15,000 residents, sectors without municipal water and sewer services in municipalities with 15,000 residents or more, and the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region. Northern villages and Indigenous reserves are not eligible.

The property must be the applicant’s principal residence. It may contain no more than two units, including the owner-occupied unit, and the second unit may be used for commercial purposes. The owner must not have received assistance through the RénoRégion or Rénovation Québec program within the previous five years.

The work must cost at least $3,500 and be intended to correct one or more major defects, including inadequate thermal insulation.

Once approved by the municipality, the work must be completed by a contractor licensed by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec and finished within no more than six months.

The grant may cover up to 95% of the eligible renovation costs, to a maximum of $20,000, or $25,000 in some cases. Details about how the financial assistance is calculated are available on the Société d’habitation du Québec website.