Residents in Newfoundland and Labrador with below-average incomes will experience a delay in accessing benefits from a federal initiative designed to assist in reducing energy costs through home retrofits. The Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program offers cost-free upgrades, such as insulation and heat pumps, to homeowners and tenants with low to medium incomes. The specific coverage details vary by province, with Prince Edward Island focusing on insulation enhancements and Quebec including upgrades like heat pumps, windows, doors, and smart thermostats for eligible households.
Formal agreements with the federal government facilitate the distribution of funds. The program initially launched in Manitoba in September 2025 with an initial commitment of nearly $30 million from the Canadian government through Efficiency Manitoba. Recently, additional funding agreements were announced at the International Energy Agency’s Global Energy Efficiency Conference, expanding the program to Quebec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
Newfoundland and Labrador are still in the process of finalizing their participation in the program. The federal government has extended partnership offers to all provinces, with each province progressing at its own pace. In Quebec, approximately 25,000 households are expected to undergo eligible retrofits, supported by a total funding of $243.5 million. British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island have also secured funding for energy efficiency projects.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Department of Environment, Conservation, and Climate Change has submitted an application to the federal program. Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is collaborating with the government of Canada to complete the necessary agreements for the program launch in the province, targeting a fall commencement to maximize participation.
The Canada Greener Homes initiative includes various energy-related programs by the federal government. The Canada Greener Homes Grant, which offered up to $5,000 per applicant, closed in 2024 due to fund depletion. The Canada Greener Homes Loan program, providing interest-free loans for energy efficiency improvements, ceased accepting applications in October 2025. The Canada Greener Affordable Housing program, focusing on multi-unit building retrofits, closed to new applications in January of the current year.
In the previous Canada Greener Homes Grant program, Newfoundland and Labrador benefited from 6,702 grants totaling $34.2 million, with heat pumps being a popular addition to homes in the province.