Suspended
APCHQ — Get financing through the Canada Greener Affordable Housing program: Pre-Retrofit Funding for multi-unit residential buildings
Last Update: March 3, 2026
Canada
Supports pre-retrofit planning for deep energy-efficient housing upgrades
Grant and Funding
Overview
The Canada Greener Affordable Housing – Pre-Retrofit Funding program offers up to $130,000 per project to support organizations with an affordable housing mandate in preparing deep energy retrofit applications for multi-unit residential buildings. Eligible activities include building condition assessments, energy audits and modelling, engineering studies, construction cost estimates, environmental site assessments, and related planning and design work.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Reduce the ecological footprint
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 130,000 $
- Up to 30% of project cost
Timeline
- Receipt of requests is suspended
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Health care and social assistance
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- All industries
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- All dimensions
Activities funded
- Conducting a building condition assessment (BCA) to evaluate the current state of the property and identify retrofit needs.
- Carrying out an energy audit (ASHRAE Level 3 or equivalent) to assess current energy performance and pinpoint opportunities for deep energy savings.
- Performing an energy modelling study to simulate building performance and determine which retrofit scenarios can meet deep energy retrofit targets.
- Developing technical project documentation, including drawings, specifications, engineering studies and construction cost estimates, to plan the future retrofit work.
- Preparing supporting studies and business documentation for the retrofit, such as business cases, environmental site assessments, hazardous materials reports and site surveys.
Eligibility
- The applicant must have an affordable housing purpose and a clear mandate to provide housing to lower-income households or populations in need.
- The applicant must be a community housing provider (non-profit housing organization, public housing agency or rental co-operative), an Indigenous government or organization (including First Nations, Tribal Councils and Indigenous housing providers), or a provincial, territorial or municipal government.
- The project must involve an eligible residential property type, such as mixed-income or mixed-use with affordable rental housing, community housing, affordable rental housing, Indigenous community housing and cultural spaces, shelters, transitional or supportive housing, or single-room occupancy.
- The project must be primarily residential, include at least 5 units or beds, and the non-residential portion of the building must not exceed 30% of the total gross floor area.
- The residential building must generally be at least 20 years old, with possible flexibility on building age for Indigenous, Northern or remote organizations.
Who is eligible?
- Community housing providers (non-profit housing organizations, public housing agencies, rental co-operatives)
- Indigenous governments and organizations (including First Nations, Tribal Councils, Indigenous housing providers)
- Provincial governments
- Territorial governments
- Municipal governments
Who is not eligible
- Private market housing organizations that do not have an affordable housing purpose or proven mandate to serve lower-income households or populations in need.
Eligible expenses
- Costs for a building condition assessment (BCA) report.
- Fees for an energy audit (ASHRAE Level 3 or equivalent).
- Expenses for an energy modelling study.
- Professional fees for project drawings and technical specifications.
- Engineering study costs related to planned retrofits.
- Preparation of construction cost estimates for the retrofit work.
- Costs to develop a business case demonstrating the retrofit’s benefits or impacts.
- Environmental site assessment or hazardous materials report expenses.
- Site survey fees required to plan the retrofit.
Eligible geographic areas
- Organizations located anywhere in Canada, as this is a federal program administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
- Indigenous, Northern or remote communities within Canada, which may benefit from flexibility on building age requirements.
Selection criteria
- Examination of project eligibility by CMHC, including compliance with program requirements.
- Possible ranking of projects in order of priority following the application submission period.
- Processing of new applications on a "first-come, first-served" basis when the portal reopens and funds remain available.
- Assessment of the completeness of the file, a prerequisite for issuing a contribution agreement.
How to apply
1
Confirm program eligibility
- Review the program highlight sheet, applicant guide and other pre-application resources provided by CMHC
- Confirm that your organization and properties meet the affordable housing and eligibility criteria
- Ensure your intended activities align with eligible pre-retrofit activities listed by the program
2
Prepare ownership and financials
- Gather documents demonstrating ownership of the property or properties to be retrofitted
- Assemble required financial information as indicated in the documentation checklist
- Compile details of the pre‑retrofit activities you intend to undertake
3
Define and cost activities
- Identify which eligible pre‑retrofit activities (e.g., BCA, energy audit, energy modelling) you will complete
- Obtain a quote for each activity, including estimated start and end dates
- Ensure key studies (BCA, energy audit, energy modelling) are included or that recent equivalent reports are available
4
Complete required forms
- Download and review the required documentation checklist provided by CMHC
- Complete the Integrity Declaration form as required
- Verify that all mandatory supporting documents listed in the checklist are ready
5
Start online application
- Access the online application portal during an open call‑out window
- Create your profile and follow the portal guide instructions to start the application
- Enter project, organizational, and activity details as requested
6
Upload supporting documents
- Upload ownership, financial, and activity documentation as required in the portal
- Attach quotes for each eligible pre‑retrofit activity, including timelines
- Upload the completed Integrity Declaration and any other required forms
7
Finalize and submit application
- Review all sections of the application for completeness and accuracy before submission
- Confirm that requested funding and activities align with program parameters
- Submit the completed application through the online portal before the call‑out deadline
8
Wait for CMHC decision
- Await CMHC’s eligibility review and prioritization of your project after the window closes
- Monitor communications for confirmation that your application is complete
- Expect a decision and, if approved, a contribution agreement typically within about 30 days
9
Accept contribution agreement
- Review and sign the contribution agreement confirming CMHC’s conditional approval
- Understand the process and documentation required to request advances from CMHC
- Plan to submit invoices for eligible expenses within the same fiscal year as approval
10
Draw funds and execute activities
- Provide all required documentation at least 10 days before each draw‑down date
- Request advances in accordance with the contribution agreement terms
- Carry out pre‑retrofit activities and retain invoices and reports for all eligible expenses
Additional information
- The application portal is currently closed; CMHC may consider re-opening it if funds remain after reviewing existing applications.
- Future Pre-Retrofit Funding application call-out windows, when opened, will each remain open for 60 days.
- The overall envelope for this program is $19.5 million in contributions, available through a call-out, application-based process.
- Applicants are expected to submit invoices for approved expenses within the same fiscal year in which their project was approved.
