Living here  ·  Renovation money

The government will help pay for that.

Rebates, low-interest loans and tax credits for Toronto home upgrades — from heat pumps to basement suites to flood protection — organized by what you actually want to do. Programs open and close constantly; everything below was verified in August 2026, with each card linking to the official source.

Cut your energy bills

Insulation, heat pumps, windows, air sealing, solar — the upgrades with rebates attached and lower bills afterwards.

Ontario
Home Renovation Savings Program
Up to $12,000
Ontario’s flagship, running to November 30, 2026. Around 30% back on upgrades: up to $7,500 for a cold-climate air-source heat pump, up to $12,000 for ground-source, roughly $7,700 for insulation, plus air sealing, windows and doors, smart thermostats, rooftop solar and home batteries. A single-upgrade path skips the energy assessment; the bundled path pays $600 toward assessments and stacks larger totals.
homerenovationsavings.ca →
City of Toronto
Home Energy Loan Program (HELP)
Up to $125,000
Low-interest, fixed-rate City financing for deep energy retrofits — heat pumps, insulation, windows, geothermal, solar, EV chargers — repaid conveniently alongside your property taxes. Stacks with the Ontario rebates above, so the rebate shrinks the project and the loan spreads the rest.
toronto.ca →
Federal
Greener Homes Affordability Program
No-cost retrofits
For income-eligible households: free recommended retrofits — insulation, draft sealing, appliances — delivered through partner organizations rather than by applying directly. If your household income qualifies, this is the first door to knock on.
natural-resources.canada.ca →

Add a suite or income unit

Basement apartments, garden suites and laneway houses — the money side of adding a second unit. Pair with the zoning search to see what your lot permits.

City of Toronto
Garden & laneway suite incentives
$20,000–$60,000 saved
Garden and laneway suites are exempt from development charges — commonly a $20,000–$60,000 saving on its own — and the City publishes free pre-approved suite designs (24 plan variations) that shortcut the drawing and permit process. The old $50,000 forgivable loan has been discontinued; the exemption and free plans are the current deal.
toronto.ca →
Federal
Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit
Up to $7,500
A refundable credit of 15% on up to $50,000 of renovation costs to create a self-contained suite for a senior (65+) or an adult eligible for the disability tax credit — the classic in-law suite, with the CRA paying part of it.
canada.ca →
Federal
GST/HST New Housing Rebate
Varies
Substantially renovate a home (or convert a non-residential building) and part of the GST/HST paid can come back. The bar for “substantial” is high — roughly 90% of the interior — but for gut renovations it is real money worth a conversation with your accountant.
canada.ca →
Federal
Canada Secondary Suite Loan Program
Up to $80,000 announced
Announced as 15-year loans at 2% for building secondary suites, administered by CMHC — but its rollout has been caught in political limbo and its current status is genuinely unclear. If you are planning a suite, check CMHC for the latest before counting on it.
cmhc-schl.gc.ca →

Accessibility and family needs

Renovating so a parent can move in, or so someone can stay in the home they love.

Federal
Home Accessibility Tax Credit
Up to $3,000
15% back on up to $20,000 a year of accessibility renovations — ramps, walk-in tubs, grab bars, wider doorways — for homes of seniors or those eligible for the disability tax credit. The same expense can sometimes also qualify as a medical expense credit.
canada.ca →
City of Toronto
Toronto Renovates
Income-eligible funding
Forgivable funding for essential repairs and accessibility modifications for low-income seniors and persons with disabilities who own their home. Intake windows open periodically — worth checking even if the current round is closed.
toronto.ca →

Protect the house itself

The unglamorous upgrades that prevent five-figure disasters — and that buyers increasingly ask about.

City of Toronto
Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy
Up to $6,650
Nearly doubled in May 2026. Covers a plumbing assessment, up to two backwater valves with alarms, a sump pump with battery backup, and severing the storm sewer connection. For houses, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. If you own a home with a finished basement — or a basement apartment — this is the single best-value subsidy on this page.
toronto.ca →
City of Toronto
Eco-Roof Incentive
Grants per m²
Grants toward installing a green roof or a reflective cool roof — typically taken up on flat-roofed homes, laneway suites, and small multi-unit buildings.
toronto.ca →

Recently closed — so you don’t chase them

Canada Greener Homes Grant — closed to new applicants in 2024.  Canada Greener Homes Loan (the interest-free $40,000) — stopped taking applications October 1, 2025.  Oil to Heat Pump Affordability — final applications July 31, 2026.  Ontario Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit — ended after 2022.  Toronto’s $50,000 forgivable garden-suite loan — discontinued in favour of the development-charge exemption. Plenty of outdated articles still advertise these; they are gone.

Program details, amounts and deadlines change without much notice — always confirm on the official page linked from each card before signing contracts, and note that most energy programs require registered contractors or pre-approval before work begins. This page is information, not tax or legal advice; your accountant should confirm any credit. Last verified August 2026.

What would upgrades do to my value? Check my zoning first