Get financing through the Canada Greener Affordable Housing program: Retrofit Funding for multi-unit residential buildings

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, territorial and municipal governments
• Organizations that own or operate mixed-income rental or mixed-use properties with affordable rental housing
• Organizations that own or operate shelters, transitional and supportive housing, single-room occupancy, affordable rental and Indigenous community housing

Who is not eligible

• Private market housing organizations, including private-sector landlords and for-profit residential real estate companies.
• Projects where the non-residential portion of the building exceeds 30% of the total gross floor area.

Eligible expenses

• Costs of major energy-efficient renovations of residential buildings aimed at significantly reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (materials, work and interventions directly related to these improvements).
• Expenses related to the activities necessary to achieve the climate objectives of the renovation project (for example, studies and expert reports demonstrating the targeted energy performance).

Eligible geographic areas

• Organizations located anywhere in Canada (federal program administered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation).
• On-reserve Indigenous communities within Canada are explicitly included.

• Achievement of environmental outcomes, particularly the depth of reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• Project readiness, with a preference for projects able to start construction within 6 months of selection.
• Number of housing units impacted by the retrofit project.
• Extent to which the project serves National Housing Strategy priority populations.

• Step 1: Review program guides and tools
  • Download and review the portal guide to understand how to create your profile and start the online application.
  • Consult the Program Highlight Sheet, Applicant Guide, and Required Documentation Checklist to understand the process and expectations.
  • Download and complete the Retrofit Funding Assessment Calculator.
  • Review the Integrity Declaration and Energy Assessment Attestation to understand the declarations and attestations required at application.
• Step 2: Gather pre-application documentation
  • Obtain professional reports demonstrating how your project will achieve the climate objectives, including deep energy retrofit targets.
  • Prepare a detailed retrofit scope of work, including cost estimates and project timelines for completion.
  • Assemble all other documents listed in the Required Documentation Checklist.
  • For on-reserve applicants, review the pre-application guide to understand acceptable security types in addition to a Ministerial Loan Guarantee.
• Step 3: Create profile and access the online portal
  • Access the Online Application Portal via the program webpage.
  • Create a user profile on the CMHC portal following the instructions in the portal guide.
  • Log in to the portal to start your Retrofit Funding application.
• Step 4: Complete application forms and upload documents
  • Fill out the online application form in the portal with all required project and organization information.
  • Upload the completed Retrofit Funding Assessment Calculator.
  • Upload the signed Integrity Declaration.
  • Upload the completed Energy Assessment Attestation.
  • Upload all supporting documentation, including professional reports and detailed retrofit scope of work with costs and timelines.
• Step 5: Submit application through CMHC portal
  • Review all fields and uploaded documents in the portal for completeness and accuracy.
  • Submit the full application package through the CMHC Online Application Portal within the specified application window.
• Step 6: CMHC eligibility and financial review
  • CMHC reviews submitted projects for eligibility and conducts a financial analysis after the close of the application window.
  • Processing is contingent on CMHC having received all required documentation at the time of submission.
  • If demand is high, CMHC prioritizes based on environmental outcomes and project readiness (including ability to start construction within 6 months).
  • Applications are scored using project characteristics such as depth of energy and GHG reductions, National Housing Strategy priority populations served, and number of units.
• Step 7: Receive conditional approval and loan agreement
  • If the application is deemed complete and approved, receive a loan agreement confirming CMHC’s conditional approval of funding, typically within 30 days after review.
  • Review the loan agreement, including terms related to advances, interest, amortization, forgivable portion, and reporting requirements.
• Step 8: Fulfill advancing conditions and request first advance
  • Provide all required supporting documentation identified in the loan agreement to satisfy advancing conditions within the specified timeframe.
  • Submit required documentation at least 10 days before each requested drawdown date, as outlined in the loan agreement.
  • Request the first (and subsequent) advances from CMHC in accordance with the process described in the loan agreement.
• Step 9: Post-approval monitoring and reporting
  • Agree to and comply with all Canada Greener Affordable Housing reporting requirements as set out in the funding agreement.
  • Benchmark the long-term energy performance of the retrofitted property using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager during the initial 10-year loan term.
  • Report actual energy use and associated GHG emissions to CMHC via ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager at 1 year post-retrofit and 10 years post-retrofit.
  • Provide utility bills or other documentation if requested by CMHC for program compliance or quality assurance review.

• Funding is delivered through a callout, application-based process, with set application windows.
• CMHC aims to complete eligibility review and financial analysis within about 60 days after the application window closes, assuming all documents are provided.
• Applications may be cancelled or CMHC’s funding commitment changed if advancing conditions are not met within required time frames.
• Energy modelling and program compliance may be subject to random or targeted quality assurance reviews, including requests for utility bills.