How you can help make Toronto a greener city at home

The City of Toronto partnered with three community groups on the Toronto’s Greenest Neighbourhoods project with the goal of encouraging more people to take advantage of rebates and incentives for home energy retrofits.

The project is funded by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and will participate with the following community groups and neighbourhoods: Green Parkdale/Greenest City in Parkdale, The Pocket Community Association in the Blake-Jones area, and Green 13 in the Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood.

The community groups will promote home energy information to residents of single-family homes, including best practices, available incentives and rebates, and other resources. The partnerships in these three areas of the city will continue until November 30, 2018.

“Our homes and buildings are the largest source of local greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto so it’s important for us to act,” says Mayor John Tory. “I encourage all Toronto homeowners to take advantage of the programs and incentives offered by the City of Toronto, the Province and others to make their homes more efficient, comfortable and resilient.”

Homes and buildings in Toronto account for approximately 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. The TransformTO Climate Action Strategy determined that all homes in Toronto must be 40% more efficient by 2050.

So how can you make your home more energy efficient?

One of the best ways to make energy improvements around your home is to go through the City’s Home Energy Loan Program. HELP can provide a low-interest loan of up to $75,000 in order for you to make upgrades to things like your furnace, air conditioning, windows, doors, and toilets. You can also add things like rooftop solar panels and air sealing.

The City provides five reasons why you should make energy upgrades through HELP.

1) “Enjoy low interest rates and repayments terms of up to 15 years.

2) Avoid the large upfront costs of home energy improvements and pay for them over time as you save on your energy bills. You may pay off your HELP loan at any time, without penalty.

3) Repay the loan via installments on your property tax bill; pay off the loan at any time without penalty.

4) Receive ongoing support from the HELP team and assistance accessing up to $2,250 in incentives from utility companies, including up to $650 from Toronto Hydro for new energy efficient furnaces and/or air conditioners, and $1,600 from Enbridge’s Home Energy Conservation Program.

5) The loan will be attached to your property, not to you, the property owner. This means that if you sell your home before the loan is repaid, the new owner can assume the balance of the loan.”

If you’re thinking of taking on a home improvement project this summer, consider making your home more energy efficient!