Bad news for anybody who hasn’t signed up to get an energy audit done yet – you’re out of luck if you want to qualify for grants and rebates for making your home more energy efficient. Renovations like adding EIFS to the outside of your home will not only save hundreds (maybe thousands) on heating bills every year – but the government was previously giving you money to do so. The incentive for the government was obvious – less train on the electricity grid, which has experienced it’s share of blackouts over the past few years as thousands of new homes are built in the GTA.

While the program was supposed to run until the end of March, parliament shut it down early stating that it “has reached it’s target of 250,000 homes”.

The logic is questionable – if the program is such a success and Canadians are responding well to it, why shut it down?

Many home owners are deciding to update their homes through renovations in a number of ways. The cost to “go green” is slightly more expensive up front – but saves thousands in the long haul. Programs like the Retrofit Rebate Program help foot the costs to make homes more energy efficient, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It also makes the home more affordable by reducing monthly expenses, helping Canadians with their dream of home ownership. It’s almost as if the Government doesn’t care for it’s citizens’ quality of life, or the environment. If the Government doesn’t care for it’s citizens, what’s the purpose of it being in existence in the first place?

Lyle Shipley of the Canada Green Building Council alludes to the fact that the decision is “short sighted thinking” and that the program would eventually pay for itself.

Fortunately, those already in the program have until March 31st to complete the retrofits, and until June 30th to collect the rebates.

To be kept in the loop about any new upcoming grants or rebates, make sure to request a quote from us at Toronto Stucco Contractor.