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High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS)

Financing for Toronto energy and water retrofits

Offered by
City of Toronto
Official source: toronto.ca

Source change captured

Funding available
$ 2,500,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Who can apply
Owners of older multi-unit residential apartment buildings in the City of Toronto
See full eligibility

Overview

The High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) offers low-cost financing for older multi-unit residential apartment buildings in Toronto to improve energy and water performance. Eligible work includes energy and water retrofits, renewable energy investments, and resilience measures such as flood protection or interior cooling.

At a glance

Funding available

Maximum funding
$2,500,000
Financing goals
  • Reduce environmental footprint
  • Renovate or expand facilities

Eligible candidates

Location
  • Toronto
  • Ontario
Eligible Industries
All industries
Annual revenue
All revenue ranges
Organisation size
All organization sizes
Audience
All groups
Legal structures
For-profit business

Start applying for this program

Take a practical assessment to gain a clear understanding of how well this program aligns with your specific needs and long-term goals.

Availability timeline

2026
Periods: 1

Latest changes

Hi-RIS program eligibility, funding, and process updated

Hi-RIS now shows expanded eligibility, a revised application and disbursement process, new funding conditions, and added resilience-related project scope.

See more

The Hi-RIS page now says buildings may submit decarbonization studies, and eligibility has been redefined for multi-unit residential buildings in Toronto that are at least 20 years old, have at least seven units and three storeys, and may include private rental apartment buildings, social housing, and housing co-operatives. It also adds that other energy studies may be accepted for non-profit housing or at the discretion of program staff, and that improvements must be permanently affixed with a useful life of more than five years. The application and payment flow is now presented as a three-step application process plus a separate three-step disbursement process, replacing the earlier sequence. Funding is now described as up to 10 per cent of Current Value Assessment or $2.5 million per multi-residential building, with 30% advanced at agreement signing, another 30% issued at the interim report stage, and the remaining funds paid after completion; up to 30% of funds may also be used for

Official source: toronto.ca
July 10, 2026

Eligibility

Who is eligible?

  • Owners of older multi-unit residential apartment buildings in the City of Toronto
  • Owners of private rental apartment buildings
  • Owners of social housing
  • Owners of housing co-operatives, including non-profit co-ops and equity co-ops
  • Non-profit housing providers

Who is not eligible

  • Owners of properties that are not residential rental apartment buildings built before 1990 with three or more storeys in the City of Toronto.
  • Property owners who are not in good standing with property taxes, utility bills, or other payments owed to the City over the past five years.

Eligible expenses

  • Building envelope improvements, including window and balcony door replacements, window and door caulking, exterior wall cladding, solar air heating systems, and insulated roofing
  • Mechanical system upgrades, including boilers, booster pumps, building automation systems, make-up air units, garage exhaust fan and CO controls, heat and energy recovery ventilators, heat pumps, and cooling system upgrades
  • Water fixtures, including low flow and ultra-low flow toilets
  • Renewable energy systems, including solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling
  • Lighting systems and controls, any measure that provides energy efficiency or water conservation benefits, and improvements that improve the building’s resilience to extreme weather such as flood protection measures or interior cooling

Activities funded

  • Energy and water retrofits in multi-unit residential buildings
  • Renewable energy investments at qualifying properties
  • Improvements that reduce energy and water consumption and strengthen resilience against extreme weather

How to apply

  • Submit an Expression of Interest form to determine whether the property is eligible to participate.
  • Complete a Funding Request Form and submit it with signed contractor quotes, a copy of the energy assessment report, and a completed Pre-Authorized Property Tax Payment Program Application Form.

Documents Needed

  • Expression of Interest form
  • Funding Request Form
  • Energy Assessment Report (ASHRAE Level 2 or above)
  • Signed contractor quotes or copies of signed cost estimates for the intended improvements
  • Completed Pre-Authorized Property Tax Payment Program Application Form

Selection criteria

  • Submission of an energy assessment report (ASHRAE level 2 or higher) clearly identifying the proposed improvements.
  • Submission of signed bids or estimates for the planned work, from qualified contractors.
  • Verification of the compliance of the submitted documents, including the application form and the project completion report.
  • Adherence to the procedure for validating costs and the eligibility of expenses by the City before the final disbursement.

Processing and Agreement

  • The City reviews the Expression of Interest and Funding Request to determine whether program eligibility requirements are met and issues a Notice to Proceed if the property is eligible.
  • If the Funding Request is approved, the City prepares a Property Owner Agreement; all property owners listed on the registered title must sign it before the project can begin.
  • Upon signing the Property Owner Agreement, recipients receive 30% of the approved funding, another 30% is issued after the Interim Project Report and confirmed progress, and the remaining funds are issued after final completion review and verification.
  • The final funding disbursement is not processed until after the Project Completion Report and attachments have been reviewed for compliance and the Expected Incentive Amount has been verified by Enbridge Gas and Toronto Hydro, if applicable.
  • Property owners repay the City through 11 monthly instalments per year on the property tax bill, with no payment in January, and may make a one-time payment to clear the outstanding special charge at any time.

Additional information

  • The payment obligation for the special charge attaches to the property, not the owner, and transfers to new owners if the property is sold.
  • Property owners must not apply for rent increases above the guideline in connection with improvements funded by the program.
  • Participation in the program requires enrollment in the City’s pre-authorized payment plan, with automatic withdrawals occurring 11 times per year.
  • Final funding disbursement occurs only after submission and City approval of a Project Completion Report.

Contacts

416-392-6090

Official sources

High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS)
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Frequently Asked Questions about the High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) Program

What is the High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS)?

The High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) offers low-cost financing for older multi-unit residential apartment buildings in Toronto to improve energy and water performance. Eligible work includes energy and water retrofits, renewable energy investments, and resilience measures such as flood protection or interior cooling.

How much funding can be received?

High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) Funds up to $2,500,000 of admissible expenses.

What is the deadline to apply?

The program is accepting continuous intake

Who is eligible for the High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) program?

To be eligible for the High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) program, you must: The property must be a multi-unit residential building in Toronto that is at least 20 years old The building must contain a minimum of seven units and be three storeys high All registered owners must consent, and City payment obligations must be in good standing for the past five years

What expenses are eligible under High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS)?

Building envelope improvements, including window and balcony door replacements, window and door caulking, exterior wall cladding, solar air heating systems, and insulated roofing Mechanical system upgrades, including boilers, booster pumps, building automation systems, make-up air units, garage exhaust fan and CO controls, heat and energy recovery ventilators, heat pumps, and cooling system upgrades Water fixtures, including low flow and ultra-low flow toilets Renewable energy systems, including solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling Lighting systems and controls, any measure that provides energy efficiency or water conservation benefits, and improvements that improve the building’s resilience to extreme weather such as flood protection measures or interior cooling

Who can I contact for more information about the High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS)?

You can contact City of Toronto or by phone at 416-392-6090.

Where is the High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) available?

The High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) program is available the province of Ontario.