Constant growing costs of living have been a common trend in the past few years, and the price of living and maintaining a home has become astronomical. Energy is a driving factor of living and day to day activities, and due to the increasing costs, its becoming a burden on many Orangeville families. Wouldn’t it be nice to catch a break? Although the government has provided time of use pricing for energy usage, there are other things the government of Ontario provides allowing us to catch the break we need and to help make an energy efficient home.

The government has begun to provide rebates on certain home features and maintenance actives that are energy efficient. Firstly, if we have a look at the rebates that include heating and cooling features we can see that there are many options to choose from. These rebates are available to, any resident and small business who purchased and installed the qualified central heating and cooling systems through certain contractors within Ontario. The eligible systems that are include within this grant are as followed: High-efficiency furnaces, ENERGY STAR® certified central air conditioner (CAC), ECM Circulator pump, Air-source heat pump (ASHP), and Adaptive Thermostats. The rebates range between $30 and $5500, depending on the heating and cooling equipment that is being installed. In addition to rebates the government also provides programs for energy efficient technology. One great program the government provides is, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Smart Thermostats Program. This program will provide a $100 credit with the installation of a qualified smart thermostat.

In addition to this, another grant that the government of Ontario provides is the ecoEnergy grants. These grants are for Ontario homeowners who make their home an energy efficient home. One large way to do this is to replace their old windows and doors with any new ENERGY STAR windows, skylights and doors. As a homeowner participating in this grant you can receive $40 rebate per unit (window, door, or skylight) with up to $5000 for the home renovation. All you have to do to qualify for such a rebate, is to get a home energy audit before and after the new energy efficient products have been installed. In doing so, you may receive up to $150 cash rebate just for having the first audit! Other products that are associated with the ecoEnergy grant that provide rebates are insulation, air seals and toilets.

All these programs, rebates, and grants not only provide short term savings/rebates, but also provides long term savings for you and your family. There is a hotline to call 1-888-728-8444 to answer any question about the grants, the qualified contractors and any other questions. These incentives are smart for you to look into for your current home or future home. Not only will it save you money (making your wallet happy) but also creates an energy efficient home.