Toronto/CMEDIA: Ontario’s expanded energy saving program reportedly would enable homeowners to get provincial rebates of up to $200 for energy efficient appliances as well as granting incentives for industrial, municipal, institutional and health-care organizations.
Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines announced a Home Renovation Savings Program earlier this year, and it initially gave rebates for energy efficiency renovations and improvements, such as new windows, doors, insulation, air sealing, smart thermostats and heat pumps increasing the available funding per project from $5 million to $15 million.
“With electricity demand rising, keeping more money in people’s pockets has never been more important…By expanding Ontario’s energy savings programs to include energy efficient appliances…After energy costs quadrupled under the former government, our number one priority is affordability for families…this savings program…to scrap the carbon tax,” Lecce said.
Lecce is announcing today that starting this fall, households can receive rebates for energy efficient appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers and laundry machines.
As part of the province’s 12-year, $10.9 billion Energy Efficiency Framework, Ontario’s energy savings programs are the largest investment in energy-efficiency programs in Canadian history, and Energy for Generations, the province’s first-ever integrated energy plan.
The programs and their expansions are part of a previously announced commitment to spend $10.9 billion over 12 years on energy efficiency.
Lecce says it allows families to save money and Ontario to save power — the first phase of the home renovation program reduced peak demand by 226 megawatts, the equivalent of taking more than 220,000 homes off the grid.
With electricity demand projected to significantly increase over the next 25 years, maximizing available grid capacity is essential to increase energy consumption and drive up costs.
Eligible households will be able to receive rebates of up to $200 off for a wide range of energy-efficient appliances, starting this fall, under the Home Renovation Savings Program (HRSP), including refrigerators, freezers and laundry machines.
Irrespective from where these appliances are purchased, whether online or in-store, rebates will be issued within 60 days of approval.
All homes on Ontario’s electricity grid will be eligible, including condos and apartments, as long as the appliance meets the eligibility criteria, including the replacement of existing, less energy-efficient electric appliances.
This presents a clear need for accessible, cost-saving solutions to help Ontarians cut energy use, lower bills, and ensure a reliable power system for the future.
Having launched the first phase of the energy savings program on Jan 7, 2025, Ontario’s savings include for efficiency upgrades such as insulation, smart thermostats and rooftop solar.
The Save on Energy XLerate Program will increase the per project incentive from $5 million to $15 million to support large, complex, industrial capital projects that deliver measurable energy savings using proven technologies to improve efficiency and reduce electricity consumption.
Key features include:
- Feasibility study support: Covers 50 per cent of study costs, up to $100,000, to help organizations scope and develop eligible projects
- Streamlined application processes: A single sign-off and first-come-first-served intake making it faster and easier to apply
- Broader eligibility and longer timelines: To support early-stage planning and implementation across a wider range of sectors
“Ontario is taking concrete steps to ensure that our economy is powered by strong, self-reliant, and competitive energy sources…This integrated energy plan, the first of its kind, is a generational step toward an energy future that will grow our economy and support Ontario’s industries, while remaining affordable, reliable, and secure,” said Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries. “
Forecasted to reduce the province’s peak demand by 3,000 megawatts by 2036, which is the equivalent of taking three million homes off the grid, Ontario’s Energy Efficiency Framework lowers operating costs for households and businesses and help strengthen Ontario’s competitiveness on the global stage and support the government’s goal of making Ontario one of the most competitive economies in the G7.
