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Source verified July 23, 2026
Retrofit Program Participant Agreement
Energy-saving upgrade support for facilities
Latest source updateLast Update: July 21, 2026Latest change: The Retrofit FAQ now shows a lower small/medium solar PV incentive, tighter eligible installation types, and updated upload instructions for solar DER applicants.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: July 21, 2026
Latest change: The Retrofit FAQ now shows a lower small/medium solar PV incentive, tighter eligible installation types, and updated upload instructions for solar DER applicants.
Retrofit FAQ incentive and eligibility update
The Frequently asked questions page for the Retrofit Program now shows the small/medium solar PV incentive at $770/kW-AC instead of $860/kW-AC. It also removes ground-mounted installations from eligibility, leaving rooftops and parking canopies as the remaining eligible installation types. Application guidance was also updated for solar DER applicants: they are now directed to upload the latest worksheet instead of a specific Version 2.0 form effective May 30, 2025. The EMIS guidance also changed its cited certification reference and supporting-document language.
Funding available
Up to 50% of project cost
Deadline
March 31, 2027
Location
Ontario, Canada
Who can apply
Owners and operators of industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-family residential buildings, or persons with the rights and authority to have the Measures installed.
See full eligibility
Overview
Save on Energy’s Retrofit Program offers incentives of up to 50% to commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-family residential facilities. It supports Prescriptive and Custom measures such as rooftop solar PV, HVAC upgrades, and data centre equipment to reduce electricity use and operating costs.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Increase production or service capacity
- Implement environmental initiatives
Eligible Funding
- Up to 50% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Energy-saving equipment upgrades that reduce electricity use and operating costs.
- Behind-the-meter solar photovoltaic systems for load displacement on rooftops and parking canopies.
- Energy Management Information Systems for industrial facilities.
- Prescriptive data centre measures, including ENERGY STAR-certified computer servers, computer server virtualization, and ENERGY STAR-certified uninterruptible power supply.
- More complex energy-efficiency projects under the Custom stream.
Documents Needed
- Program Requirements v1.2 – Effective June 30, 2025; Participant Agreement v1.2 – Effective June 30, 2025
- Custom Project Worksheet for custom stream applications; Retrofit Program M&V Guidelines for custom projects
- Participant confirmation form for equipment disposal and decommissioning
- Solar PV DER Worksheet Version 3.2 – Effective June 30, 2026, required with each Retrofit application for solar PV systems
- Horticultural Lighting and Controls Version 3.0 – Effective June 30, 2026, mandatory for Applications for the Horticultural LED Grow Lights - Top Lighting (Vegetable) measure
Official resources
Program guide
Application form
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Owners and operators of industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-family residential buildings, or persons with the rights and authority to have the Measures installed.
- Commercial, industrial and institutional participants interested in behind-the-meter solar installations under the Prescriptive stream.
- Building owners or lessees of commercial spaces, with lessees requiring owner’s consent or authorization.
- Social Housing Providers for certain Participant Incentives.
How to apply
- Review the key documents, including the participant agreement, program requirements, measure-specific worksheets, and M&V guidelines for custom projects.
- Create your applicant and/or applicant representative Retrofit portal account.
- Log on to your Retrofit portal account and begin your application.
- Assign an applicant representative, if applicable, and enter facility details to determine the appropriate track.
- If you are an applicant representative, have the applicant log in, open the application under Pending Actions, click Submit, and agree to the participant agreement before entering into a binding commitment.
- For Solar PV applications, review the Solar Photovoltaic Distributed Energy Resource worksheet and complete and upload the latest Solar DER worksheet to your application.
Processing and Agreement
- Once an application is submitted, it is assigned to a technical reviewer and the pre-approval process takes about two to three weeks to complete.
- The reviewer may request further documentary evidence, and mandatory QA/QC applies to projects that exceed $20,000 in incentive value.
- Some smaller projects may be selected at random for QA/QC during the pre-approval and/or post-approval process.
- After the incentive invoice has been accepted by the reviewer and the application has been approved for payment, payment is typically received within eight to twelve weeks.
- The participant must upload the incentive invoice to the Retrofit portal rather than sending it by mail or email.
Additional information
- Most lighting measures previously available as part of the Retrofit Program are now offered through the Save on Energy Instant Discounts Program.
- The Retrofit Program releases semi-annual updates each spring and fall.
- The program is offered, administered and centrally delivered by the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) and its service provider(s).
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement Program
What is the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement?
Save on Energy’s Retrofit Program offers incentives of up to 50% to commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-family residential facilities. It supports Prescriptive and Custom measures such as rooftop solar PV, HVAC upgrades, and data centre equipment to reduce electricity use and operating costs.
How much funding can be received?
Retrofit Program Participant Agreement Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement program?
To be eligible for the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement program, you must:
The Participant Agreement must be entered into through Pre-Approval of an Application on or after January 1, 2025.
The Measures must be completed and the Post-Project Submission and Participant Incentive Invoice Approval must be received by the applicable deadlines.
For solar PV incentives, the system must be mounted on rooftops and parking canopies and used for load displacement.
What expenses are eligible under Retrofit Program Participant Agreement?
Energy-saving equipment upgrades that reduce electricity use and operating costs.
Behind-the-meter solar photovoltaic systems for load displacement on rooftops and parking canopies.
Energy Management Information Systems for industrial facilities.
Prescriptive data centre measures, including ENERGY STAR-certified computer servers, computer server virtualization, and ENERGY STAR-certified uninterruptible power supply.
More complex energy-efficiency projects under the Custom stream.
Who can I contact for more information about the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement?
You can contact Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) by email at retrofit@ieso.ca or by phone at 1-844-303-5542.
Where is the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement available?
The Retrofit Program Participant Agreement program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the Retrofit Program Participant Agreement a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Retrofit Program Participant Agreement is a Grant and Funding