There are number of grants available through the Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario has a number of programs where they will give you free money when you invest in your home to make it more energy efficient. One program is designed to entice home owners to create additional living spaces for low-income seniors or individuals living with a disability. Does this Spark an idea?
Cool Savings Rebate Program
By replacing your existing central air conditioning unit with an ENERGY STAR-rated central air conditioner system, and also install a ENERGY STAR furnace or air handler, and control the system with a programmable thermostat, the government of Ontario will rebate $800 CDN per home, as of June 2010. This program is an ongoing program and is designed to encourage homeowners to upgrade their aging units that typically use more energy. To get the rebate, you will need to have the work done by a registered contractor and submit a photocopy of the invoice.
Ontario Home Energy Retrofit Program
This ongoing program will give you a matching grant (to the Federal ecoENERGY Retrofit program) of up to $5,000 CDN when you complete improvements to make your home more energy efficient. Through this program and the one offered by the federal government you could receive up to $10,000 CDN in free money. There are a few steps to go through to receive the grants. You need to have an energy audit done on your home and complete the renovations indicated in the audit, and have a subsequent audit after the renovations have been completed to evaluate the improvement in energy efficiency of your home. The adviser conducting the audit will notify the federal government, which will notify the government of Ontario at which point a rebate check will be prepared and mailed to you. (Money amounts are as of June 2010.)
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program
While not a grant, this program will give you a forgivable loan of $24,000 (as of June 2010) when you build a rental apartment inside your home provided you rent it out to low-income senior or person with a disability. There are a few conditions that must be met in order to receive the funding. For a period of 15 years you can only rent out the apartment to individuals who are either low-income seniors, or someone who has a disability. After the 15-year requirement has been fulfilled, you are able to rent it out to whomever you wish. And there is a cap on the amount of rent you can charge. For example, the maximum rent you could charge for a one bedroom united that is rented to a single person in the city of Ottawa, Ontario is $815 per month, as of June 2010.
Tags: your home, June 2010, more energy, will give, energy efficient, federal government, free money
