Apply for Better Homes Kingston Program

All applicants requesting loans must have a pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide Home Energy Assessment completed by a certified energy advisor. We will help you find an advisor. A $600 rebate is available for the cost of the Home Energy Assessment to those who are not already receiving it from another program. 

Better Homes Kingston offers additional support to applicants who are also members of the Municipal Fee Assistance Program. Eligible low- and moderate-income households are exempt of the admin fee and may be eligible for additional rebates through our program. Better Homes Kingston staff needs to be able to verify you are an approved MFAP member for you to access these benefits.  

Step 1: Meet the requirements for the program 

If you would like to apply for this program, make sure you meet all the requirements, and our staff will review your application.   

If you are not sure if your home qualifies, you can reach out to us and we will assist you.  

Step 2: Receive your Approval to Participate

Once we confirm that you meet all the program's requirements, we will send you an Approval to Participate. This usually takes one to two weeks. We anticipate a high-volume of applications during the initial relaunch of the program and wait times may be longer. In this information package, you will find:  

• The maximum loan amount you can get 
• Details on the rebates you can get 
• Your Better Homes Kingston file reference number 
• Information about next steps 

If you have received an Approval to Participate, you cannot start paying for or making energy improvements to your home until you've completed these steps:  

1. Meet with the energy coach and fill out a valid Funding Request Form with their help.  
2. Get direct confirmation from us that your request has been accepted and you are free to start. 

Important Note: If you pay for or make energy improvements before completing these requirements, the work you have completed will not qualify for loan funding or rebates from Better Homes Kingston. 

Step 3: Book you Pre-retrofit Home Energy Assessment 

Follow these steps to register to the portal:  

1. Create an account using your Better Homes Kingston username and temporary password (received with you Approval to Participate Letter).  
2. Work with a Better Homes Kingston energy coach to understand your options and schedule a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation with a registered energy advisor if required.  

After applying you are eligible for a rebate covering $600 of your home energy evaluation cost even if you do not qualify for other rebates from Enbridge Gas.

If you already have a valid home energy assessment, you can go to the next step. 

Step 4: Apply for other rebates and obtain quotes 

At this stage, you will get quotes from contractors for the energy improvements you are undertaking. 

Our Energy Coach is here to assist you in planning your retrofit, saving costs, and stacking the most funding from all available programs.  

Step 5: Submit your Funding Request Form 

When you're ready to begin your retrofits:  

• Submit your Funding Request Form through the BHK Portal, with the help of the Energy Coach. 
• If you are applying for loan financing, sign the property owner agreement and wait for the completed agreement to be returned to you, before moving forward. This usually takes two weeks to process.  
  • If you are receiving loan financing, you can ask for 50 per cent of your funds upfront for contractor pre-payments.  

Step 6: Retrofit your home 

You can now upgrade your home.  

Step 7: Complete a Post-Retrofit Home Energy Assessment 

Once the home improvements are complete, you need to arrange for another check by a registered energy advisor if the program stream requires it. They will give your home a new rating and verify the impact of your upgrades. 

Step 8: Submit a Project Completion Report 

When your work is done and your post-retrofit Home Energy Assessment reports are in hand, you will need to submit your Project Completion Report. The Energy Coach can help you. 

Step 9: Await final payment 

After we get the Project Completion Report, you will get the remainder of your loan and/or any rebates you are eligible for. It should take around three to four weeks for the final payment to be processed.  

Step 10: Begin to repay the loan 

You can pay back your property loan through your property tax bill. You're also free to pay it back all at once without any extra charges.