Incentives
Greener Homes Grant Ending: What Ontario Solar Buyers Were Told in 2023
A look back at the November 2023 NRCan update on the Canada Greener Homes Grant closing to new applicants, and what Ontario homeowners can do today.
A look back at the November 2023 NRCan update on the Canada Greener Homes Grant closing to new applicants, and what Ontario homeowners can do today.
Update (2026): This article is kept as a dated snapshot of what homeowners were told in November 2023. The Canada Greener Homes Grant stopped accepting new applicants in early 2024 and is no longer available. For up-to-date information on what you can still use, see our solar incentives page, and for the details of the closure read our January 2024 update.
On November 9, 2023, during a Greener Homes town hall for service organizations, the companies that carry out the energy audits behind the program, representatives of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) shared several points that mattered to anyone planning a solar project at the time. Our team summarized them for homeowners.
The related interest-free Canada Greener Homes Loan was unaffected at that point, but it still required the initial energy evaluation to be completed first. That first evaluation was the step that locked in a participant's place and their grant funds.
The timing advice at the time came down to how long the pre-approval steps took. Energy audits were booked a couple of months out because of high demand. Confirmation of grid capacity from your utility, needed before booking that first audit, could take several weeks. And the audit itself could take a few more weeks to schedule and complete. In total, the whole process, from first step to approvals, was commonly estimated at four to six months. A homeowner who started in late 2023 could realistically be generating power by late spring or early summer, which is when solar production is strongest.
Our advice in 2023 was simple: do not wait. Anyone who wanted to secure funding had to register and complete the first evaluation before the program closed to new applicants. That is exactly what happened, and the window has since closed for new applicants.
The lesson from this episode still applies. Incentive programs change, and they can close with little notice. Rather than building a decision around a single grant, it helps to look at the long-term economics of solar: lower electricity bills, net metering credits for the power you export and a system that is designed to last 25 years or more. Programs and eligibility rules change over time, so check the official source before you plan around anything. NRCan publishes current information on its federal home energy efficiency programs, and we keep our incentives page current.
If you want to know what a rooftop system could save you today, start with our solar calculator or book a free site assessment. Our in-house team will walk you through the options, the paperwork and the timeline.
No. The grant closed to new applicants in early 2024. Visit our incentives page or the Natural Resources Canada website for programs that are currently open.
The interest-free loan stayed open longer than the grant, but program terms change. Check the official NRCan website for its current status before you plan around it.
Our incentives page lists what is available now, including net metering. Ask our team during your free site assessment for guidance specific to your home.
