Study Grant for One-Time Retrofit of Affordable Housing (Canada)

Deadline: 31-Dec-2026

The Green Municipal Fund (GMF) Sustainable Affordable Housing Study Grant supports Canadian municipalities, non-profit affordable housing providers, cooperative housing providers, and eligible Indigenous communities in planning deep energy retrofits for existing affordable housing. Grants provide up to $200,000 for a single building or $350,000 for a portfolio of buildings, covering up to 80% of eligible costs, while eligible Indigenous communities may receive up to 100% of eligible costs. What Is the Sustainable Affordable Housing Study Grant? The Sustainable Affordable Housing Study Grant is a funding opportunity under the Green Municipal Fund that helps affordable housing providers complete the pre-construction work required for a deep energy retrofit. A deep energy retrofit is a comprehensive upgrade to an existing building designed to substantially reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The grant focuses specifically on the pre-construction phase. It helps applicants investigate technical solutions, assess financial feasibility, develop designs, engage residents, plan for climate risks, and prepare a project for future construction. Why It Matters Existing affordable housing can present significant opportunities for energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction. However, deep retrofits often require detailed technical studies, financial planning, resident engagement, and careful project coordination before construction can begin. The GMF study grant helps address these challenges by funding the planning and assessment work needed to develop a viable retrofit project.

The program can help housing providers:

- Reduce building energy consumption. - Lower greenhouse gas emissions. - Improve the environmental performance of affordable housing. - Assess technical retrofit options. - Understand project costs and financing options. - Improve climate resilience. - Engage residents and communities. - Build organisational capacity. - Develop partnerships. - Prepare projects for future construction. Environmental Requirements for Deep Energy Retrofit Projects A proposed retrofit must demonstrate ambitious environmental performance. Projects must target at least one of the following outcomes: - At least 50% annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and/or - At least 40% annual reduction in energy use. These thresholds help ensure that funding supports substantial improvements rather than minor energy-efficiency upgrades. Applicants should use the pre-construction study to determine which combination of retrofit measures can realistically achieve the required environmental outcomes. What Does a Deep Energy Retrofit Involve? A deep energy retrofit involves significant improvements to an existing building’s energy performance rather than isolated upgrades. Depending on the building and project design, planning may consider areas such as: - Building energy performance. - Energy-efficient systems and equipment. - Building envelope improvements. - Heating and cooling systems. - Energy modelling. - Greenhouse gas reductions. - Climate resilience. - Long-term operating performance. The study phase allows housing providers to assess appropriate solutions before committing to construction. What Can the Grant Fund? The grant supports a broad range of pre-construction activities directly related to planning a deep energy retrofit.

Eligible activities may include:

Technical Assessments and Energy Modelling Applicants can conduct technical evaluations and energy modelling to understand existing building performance and assess potential retrofit solutions. This work can help determine whether proposed measures can achieve the required energy and greenhouse gas reductions. Financial Analysis The grant can support analysis of the financial aspects of a proposed retrofit.

Activities may include:

- Evaluating project costs. - Assessing financing options. - Comparing potential retrofit approaches. - Developing project costing. - Examining financial feasibility. Site Assessments Site assessments can help identify the physical, technical, and operational conditions that may affect the proposed retrofit. The findings can be incorporated into the project’s design, costing, and implementation plans. Design and Costing Funding can support design development and detailed costing work during the pre-construction stage. This can help applicants move from a broad retrofit concept toward a more defined project plan. Project Planning and Coordination Applicants can use funding for project planning and coordination activities needed to prepare the retrofit for implementation. This may include developing schedules, coordinating technical work, defining responsibilities, and preparing detailed project plans. Community and Resident Engagement Resident engagement is an important part of planning affordable housing retrofits. Eligible engagement activities can help housing providers: - Communicate proposed retrofit plans. - Understand resident needs. - Gather community input. - Identify potential concerns. - Improve project planning. - Support community participation. Climate Risk and Resilience Planning The study phase can also examine climate-related risks and opportunities to improve the resilience of affordable housing. This helps ensure that retrofit planning considers both energy performance and longer-term climate conditions.

Partnership Development

Funding may support the development of partnerships needed to advance the retrofit project. Partnership development can be particularly relevant where municipalities, housing providers, Indigenous communities, technical experts, or other organisations need to coordinate their roles. Capacity Building The grant can also support capacity-building activities that help organisations develop the knowledge and capabilities needed to plan and implement deep energy retrofits. How Much Funding Is Available? The Sustainable Affordable Housing Stud