Program to assist Ontario business with their retrofit projects to boost energy efficiency in buildings

Although the Province of Ontario did not score well on the 2019 National Energy Efficiency Provincial Score Card launched by Efficiency Canada, funding is in place to assist Ontario businesses to improve the energy efficiency in their buildings. The Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), now offers retrofit incentives directly to owners or lessees of various building types including commercial, industrial, institutional, multi-residential and agricultural facilities. Previously, these programs had been administered by the local distribution company (your local utility). The incentives are available for projects that provide sustainable, measurable and verifiable reductions to energy consumption and peak electricity demand.

There are two funding tracks under the program; prescriptive track and custom track. The prescriptive track is ideal for quick system upgrades. As an example, Incentive amounts for lighting and other measures under the prescriptive track are based on predefined amounts per unit of product. The custom track, on the other hand, is available for more comprehensive projects which involve opportunities for continuous energy savings and projects must result in energy savings for at least four years. Projects approved under both tracks are capped at 50% of the total project cost.

For the custom track, eligible projects could include the implementation of new operating procedures which boost the effectiveness of a Building Automation System (BAS) or Energy Management System (EMS) already installed in a building – such as the installation of sensors, submetering equipment and integrated communications systems.Incentives are based on energy savings calculated from pre-project baselines.

Does your building qualify?
Do you own or lease buildings in one of the following categories? They are eligible under the Save on Energy Retrofit Program.

• Commercial spaces or buildings, including offices, retail and grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and warehouses
• Industrial facilities in sectors such as food and beverage, automotive, plastics and packaging industries
• Institutional buildings, including hospitals, universities, municipal halls and arenas
• Multi-family buildings, such as apartments (including low-income and social housing) or condominiums
• Agricultural facilities, including dairy, swine or poultry farms, greenhouses and nurseries

The program application deadline is December 31st, 2020. For detailed information on the requirements under the Save on Energy Retrofit Program and to determine eligibility, please visit: About the Retrofit program.

You may also visit the following resources which provide useful highlights of the program and tips for the application process itself.
Retrofit Process Infographic
Retrofit Program QA/QC Guidelines
Top Tips for Smooth Retrofit Application