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Canada’s $800M Greener Homes Affordability Program: What Solar Homeowners Need to Know in 2026
The old Greener Homes Grant is gone. The loan program is closed. Here’s what actually replaced them – and whether solar panels are covered.
The Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program – an $800 million federal initiative – launched in September 2025 as the replacement for two popular programs that Canadian homeowners relied on for solar funding. The original Greener Homes Grant ($5,000 rebate) closed in March 2024 after funding over 500,000 homes. The $40,000 interest-free loan stopped accepting applications in October 2025. If you’re a Canadian homeowner considering solar panels in 2026, the incentive landscape has shifted significantly.
What Happened: The Federal Solar Incentive Shakeup
Between 2021 and 2024, the Canada Greener Homes Initiative was the primary federal pathway for residential solar funding. The program disbursed nearly $1.8 billion in grants and processed over half a million applications before hitting its funding cap.
The federal government’s response was the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program (CGHAP), announced as part of Canada’s Green Buildings Strategy. Unlike the old grant-and-loan model, CGHAP uses a direct-installation approach: qualifying homeowners pay nothing out of pocket. The federal government funds the retrofits, and provincial delivery partners manage the installations.
Here’s what CGHAP covers at the federal level:
- Insulation and air sealing
- Heat pumps (air-source and ground-source)
- Solar panels
- Windows and doors
- Energy-efficient equipment upgrades
Key Takeaway
Solar panels are listed as an eligible CGHAP technology at the federal level, but each province decides which retrofits to include – and early signs suggest not all provinces will fund solar through this program.
The first provincial agreement was signed with Manitoba in September 2025, with nearly $30 million flowing to Efficiency Manitoba to deliver the program. However, as Efficiency Manitoba confirmed, Manitoba’s implementation explicitly excluded solar panels from its eligible retrofit list – despite the federal guidelines including them.
Why This Matters for Canadian Solar Homeowners
The gap between federal eligibility and provincial delivery is the story of 2026 for residential solar in Canada.
If you’re low-to-median income: CGHAP could cover your home retrofit costs at no charge – but only if your province includes solar in its implementation. As of March 2026, the program is rolling out province by province, and each jurisdiction sets its own eligible technology list.
If you’re above the income threshold: CGHAP doesn’t apply to you. And the two programs that did – the $5,000 grant and $40,000 loan – are both closed. Your federal options are now limited.
About that 30% tax credit: You may have seen articles mentioning Canada’s 30% Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit for solar. Here’s the critical detail most articles bury: this credit is only available to taxable Canadian corporations and REITs. Individual homeowners are not eligible. If you’re installing solar on your house, the CT ITC does not apply to you.
That leaves provincial programs as the primary funding source for most Canadian homeowners in 2026. And those vary dramatically:
- Ontario: Home Renovation Savings Program offers up to $10,000 ($5,000 for solar PV + $5,000 for battery storage)
- Nova Scotia: SolarHomes rebate program
- Alberta: Municipal-level programs in Edmonton and Calgary
- British Columbia: PST exemption on solar equipment, plus BC Hydro net metering
What Happens Next
CGHAP is still rolling out. Additional provinces and territories are expected to sign delivery agreements throughout 2026. The key question for solar advocates: will provinces follow Manitoba’s lead and exclude solar, or will others include it?
Here’s the timeline to watch:
- Now (Q1 2026): Manitoba delivering CGHAP without solar. Additional provincial agreements expected.
- Mid-2026: More provinces expected to launch their CGHAP implementations. Watch for whether solar is included.
- Budget 2026: The federal budget may introduce new residential solar-specific incentives. The 2025 budget focused on commercial and industrial clean energy.
- 2033: The 30% CT ITC (commercial only) begins stepping down to 15%.
For the first time, CGHAP also extends to tenants – renters can access no-cost retrofits through their landlords, which is a significant expansion of who benefits from federal energy efficiency funding.
What You Can Do Right Now
- Check your provincial CGHAP status. Contact your provincial energy efficiency agency to find out if and when CGHAP is launching in your province – and whether solar panels are included. Start at the NRCan CGHAP page.
- Stack provincial incentives. Even without federal funding, most provinces offer their own solar rebates and net metering programs. Our provincial solar guides break down what’s available where you live.
- Get quotes now. Solar panel prices have dropped 12% year-over-year in Canada. Even without incentives, the economics of residential solar are strong in most provinces with decent electricity rates. Get your free solar quote to see what a system would cost for your home.
Incentive information current as of March 2026. Programs change frequently – verify with your provincial authority before making decisions.
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