Stay up to date with the latest developments in the riding. See News

New Energy Efficiency Programs Coming to Thunder Bay – Atikokan

Ontario offering rebates for home renovations, including new windows, doors, insulation, smart thermostats and heat pumps

January 24, 2025


Thunder Bay – The Ontario government is launching new energy efficiency programs, including the Home Renovation Savings Program, to help families and businesses in Thunder Bay – Atikokan save money. The programs are part of a new $10.9 billion, 12-year investment in energy efficiency, the largest in Canada’s history.

“Thunder Bay and our province are growing quickly, and we will need more power to support new homes, new investments and new infrastructure,” said The Hon. Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay—Atikokan. “I’m proud to be working with Premier Ford, Minister Lecce and Ontario Power Generation to advance these major investments in clean energy that are going to support good-paying jobs in across the North.

The new Home Renovation Savings Program will launch on January 28th, 2025, and offer rebates of up to 30 per cent for home energy efficiency renovations and improvements, including:

  • $600 for a home energy assessment

  • $100 per new window and door

  • Up to $8,900 for insulation

  • Up to $250 for air sealing

  • $75 for a smart thermostat

  • $500 for a heat pump water heater

  • Up to $7,500 for a cold climate air source heat pump

  • Up to $12,000 for a ground source heat pump

  • Up to $5,000 for rooftop solar panels

  • Up to $5,000 for battery storage systems

Later in 2025, the program will expand to include rebates for energy efficient appliances, including refrigerators and freezers.

The new Home Renovation Savings Program will launch on January 28, 2025, and offer rebates of up to 30 per cent for home energy efficiency renovations and improvements, including new windows, doors, insulation, air sealing, smart thermostats, and heat pumps, as well as rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems for people who want to generate and store energy at home. Later in 2025, the program will expand to include rebates for energy efficient appliances, including refrigerators and freezers.

“As the demand for electricity continues to rise, we’re giving families and small businesses more ways to save money and energy as we launch the largest energy efficiency program in Canadian history,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Electrification. “Ontario’s new Home Renovation Savings Program will put more money back into the residents of Thunder Bay – Atikokan, covering up to 30 per cent of the costs on energy efficiency products. We will expand this program again in 2025, including rebates for energy efficient appliances, to further reduce energy bills and demand on the grid.”

The government’s Affordable Energy Act, which came into force on December 4, 2024, ensures the new Home Renovation Savings Program, and other program offerings, will be expanded to homeowners who heat their homes by propane and oil, instead of being restricted to those who heat with electricity, as it was under previous governments.

The province is also expanding the popular Peak Perks program with a new program specifically targeted to small businesses, including convenience stores and restaurants. Businesses will receive a financial incentive of $75 upon initial enrollment in the program and $20 per year for each eligible smart thermostat connected to a central air conditioning system or heat pump unit.

In addition to the two new energy efficiency programs, the province will continue to support 12 Save on Energy programs, including the highly popular Retrofit Program for business, as well as other programs geared to low-income households, businesses, municipalities, institutions, the agricultural sector, industry and on-reserve First Nation communities.

By 2036, it is forecasted that this expansion of energy efficiency programs will reduce the province’s peak demand by 3,000 MW – the equivalent of taking three million homes off the grid. The province’s $10.9 billion investment is also estimated to result in $23.1 billion in electricity system benefits, thereby saving ratepayers $12.2 billion in electricity system costs by avoiding the build out of new generation.

Expanding energy efficiency programs is just one way the government is supporting growing energy demand across Northern Ontario, including:

  • Northern Hydroelectric Investment – The Ontario government and Ontario Power Generation are investing $2 billion over seven years to refurbish 15 hydroelectric generating stations across Northern Ontario. This work will secure the continued delivery of 830 megawatts of clean, reliable and low-cost power.

  • Forest Biomass Electricity Generation – The government has extended the contract for five existing forest biomass electricity generation facilities across Northern Ontario for five years to generate clean, reliable electricity while supporting Ontario’s forestry sector.

  • New Transmission Infrastructure – The Ontario government is working with transmitters to build thousands of kilometers of new transmission lines across Northern Ontario including the Waasigan Transmission Line, the Wataynkaneyap Power Transmission Project and the Wawa-Porcupine Transmission Line.

  • Prioritizing Northern Ontario in Competitive Procurements – Launching the largest competitive procurement of clean energy resources in the province’s history which incentives projects located in northern Ontario and have community support ensuring all parts of the province are able to benefit from the province’s growing energy sector.

QUICK FACTS


  • The Home Renovation Savings Program will launch on January 28, 2025, and interested homeowners can sign up in advance today. All other programs are available now.

  • The new Home Renovation Savings Program will provide ‘one-window’ access for all home energy efficiency upgrades through Save on Energy and Enbridge Gas conservation programs.

  • The Independent Electricity System Operator has forecasted that electricity demand will increase by 75 per cent by 2050 – the equivalent of four and a half cities the size of Toronto.

  • The increased demand stems primarily from Ontario’s rapid increase in population, new manufacturing facilities, advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, the electrification of industry, and the charging energy required for electric vehicles.

  • Ontario’s new and enhanced energy efficiency programs for electricity customers will be an increase from the government’s previous expansion of energy efficiency programs to over $1 billion over four years.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES