Efficiency that works for families: Comfort and savings made simple
HOME ENERGY AND RESILIENCE UPGRADES
Home-energy upgrade financing program
Nova Scotia
When Kim Hodgkinson first moved into her 1,200-square-foot bungalow in Colchester, Nova Scotia, she knew the home needed work, especially when it came to energy efficiency. “The heat pump didn’t work. The oil system was running constantly. It was never really warm, and our power bills were high,” she recalls. As a single mother of three daughters, Kim needed a solution that would be affordable, reliable and practical for a busy household.
That solution came through Cozy Colchester, the Municipality of Colchester’s residential energy financing program. Cozy Colchester offers low-interest loans for energy upgrades like heat pumps, insulation, windows and doors—without the burden of upfront costs.
For Kim, the program made it possible to install a new heat pump and replace drafty exterior doors—upgrades that have already improved her home’s comfort and efficiency. “It’s made a huge difference,” she says. “The house stays warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer and I’ve already noticed a drop in my power bill.”
Finding the right fit
Kim first heard about the Cozy Colchester program through a radio ad and later noticed the municipality’s branded vehicle driving through town. “I thought, okay, this sounds like something I need to look into,” she says. “I went to the website, and it had everything laid out clearly. It was super easy to understand.”
Before applying to Cozy Colchester, Kim accessed Efficiency Nova Scotia, which helped remove her oil system and install electric baseboard heaters. The two programs complemented each other well: Efficiency Nova Scotia handled the fuel switch, while Cozy Colchester funded the more substantial upgrades, including the new heat pump and doors.
“The timing worked perfectly,” Kim explains. “I applied to Cozy Colchester just as I was finishing up with Efficiency Nova Scotia. They really stacked well together.”
A straightforward, supportive process
Like other program participants, Kim was struck by how easy the municipal process was. “The application was very clear. The repayment schedule was clearly explained. There were no surprises,” she says.
One of the program’s most helpful features, she adds, was that the municipality paid the contractor directly. “That made a big difference,” she says. “I didn’t have to front the money and wait to be reimbursed, which made it financially manageable.”
Communication throughout the process was another high point. “Every time I had a question, someone got back to me quickly. They explained everything in plain language. I felt supported and confident that I wasn’t missing anything.”
Kim’s repayment is set up as a simple monthly payment through the municipality—an approach she says makes budgeting easy. “It just gets taken care of. I don’t have to worry about juggling payments or paperwork.”
Comfort, air quality, and everyday impact
The results of the upgrades were noticeable almost immediately. “The heat pump has made a huge difference, especially with the air quality,” Kim says. “It feels fresher in the house, and it’s a much more even temperature.”
For her three daughters, the difference has been even more tangible. “They used to complain that the house was cold all the time,” she laughs. “Now it actually feels comfortable, especially in the evenings.”
Kim’s electricity bills have already gone down, and she expects further improvements once the new doors are installed this fall. “We’ve still got a few things to finish up,” she says, “but even now, I can see the savings.”
Encouraging others to apply
Kim says she wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Cozy Colchester program to other homeowners. “If you’re thinking about doing upgrades and don’t want to deal with upfront costs or complicated paperwork, this is the way to go,” she says. “The loan is affordable, the program is easy to navigate and you’re making your home better in the process.”
She’s especially grateful that the program is designed with flexibility in mind. “You don’t have to do everything all at once,” she notes. “You can start with one or two upgrades that make sense for your home and your budget.”
A simple path to a more efficient home
Launched in 2019 and expanded with support from GMF, the Cozy Colchester program has helped rural homeowners across the region make meaningful improvements to their homes, whether through solar, insulation, heating systems or air sealing. By paying contractors directly, offering flexible repayment terms and keeping the application process clear and accessible, the program is helping households like Kim’s save energy and improve comfort without financial strain.
For Kim, the difference is more than just a lower power bill. “I feel proud of what I’ve been able to do with my home,” she says. “And I know my kids feel better in it too. It’s not just about saving money—it’s about having a home that really works for us.”
Cozy Colchester is funded by the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), a program of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada.
Related Resources
See All
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Rossland Yards: Building stability and a sense of home
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Aspen Heights: Finding stability and comfort in Saskatoon
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Aspen Heights: A comfortable home for a sustainable future
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Priscilla's Place: Peace of mind and a place to call home in Banff
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Priscilla's Place: A bright place to call home in Banff
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Priscilla's Place: A place to breathe and belong in Banff
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
How energy-efficient affordable housing is improving the lives of Canadians: Article series
Discover the inspiring stories of six Canadians who are living comfortably and saving money thanks to energy-efficient affordable housing supported by GMF's Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative.
Tool
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Small towns, big impacts: GMF in small and rural communities
Success stories and resources to inspire your next sustainability project in small and rural communities.
Tool
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Supporting local success stories across the Canadian Prairies
Discover how GMF funding is helping communities with unique local contexts reach their economic, social and climate goals.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Webinar recording: Building for the future with better community housing
Watch the discussion to learn about an award-winning sustainable affordable housing project.
Guide
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Creating inclusive energy retrofit programs
Our Integrating equity principles within community efficiency financing programs: A guide for Canadian municipalities and partners is designed to help municipalities create home energy retrofit financing programs that work for everyone.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Webinar recording: How housing providers can help residents during energy retrofits
Watch the discussion on how to take advantage of the Housing Providers’ Toolkit.
Webinar recording
Local energy generation
Energy
Local energy generation
Energy
Webinar recording: New GMF funding and support to accelerate community energy systems
Watch our webinar to explore GMF’s new funded learning offer: Accelerating Community Energy Systems. Discover best practices, funding insights and strategies for your municipality.
Report
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Unlocking the potential of PACE financing: A comprehensive report on Canadian legislation
Read our informative report to discover an overview of PACE legislation in Canada and learn how a PACE initiative can benefit your community.
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Aspen Heights: Redefining affordable housing in Saskatoon
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Heartland Housing Foundation: Building a sustainable future in Fort Saskatchewan
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Building a better future: CABN’s net-zero affordable housing pilot
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Pine Tree Park: Transforming affordable housing with energy efficiency and solar power
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Rossland Yards: Transforming affordable housing in Rossland, BC
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Transforming communities with Sustainable Affordable Housing: Article series
In a series of six articles, we highlight impactful projects funded by GMF's Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative, demonstrating how energy-efficient, community-centered housing can foster resilience and well-being.
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
YWCA Banff: Building stability and community through affordable housing
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Regional Energy Coach list
Get in touch with a Regional Energy Coach in your region and start your energy efficiency journey
Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Webinar recording: Accelerate your community’s net-zero transformation with new GMF funding
Watch our webinar to discover how GMF’s new funding can help you upgrade infrastructure and reduce local GHG emissions.
Webinar recording
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Webinar recording: The real impact of home-energy efficiency financing
Watch our webinar to discover how you can achieve your climate goals by implementing a home-energy efficiency financing program in your community
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Project cash flow calculator
Our energy project calculator is designed to aid housing providers in quantifying the associated costs of sustainable, affordable housing projects. Use the calculator to understand the viability of a potential project and make informed decisions.
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Funders list for sustainable affordable housing
Access additional funding sources from across Canada to support your next affordable housing project.
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Toolkit: Navigating energy-efficient affordable housing projects
Discover a toolkit designed for affordable housing providers aiming to prioritize energy efficiency. This toolkit offers insights into the benefits of energy-efficient housing, addresses unique challenges, and provides practical tools to identify solutions.
Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Webinar recording: How to start reducing GHG emissions in community buildings
Watch the discussion on how to create a GHG reduction pathway for community buildings.
Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings
Energy | Housing
Municipal and community buildings
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: How to get a project started, tips for small francophone communities
If you’re a small francophone municipality looking to develop sustainability projects and access funding, watch this webinar to learn how others overcame common challenges.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: Durham Region, ON launches novel financing model
A video showcasing innovative and accessible financing options for home-energy upgrades.
Guide
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Community Efficiency Financing market guide
Guide to help Canadian municipalities assess potential home energy upgrade programs
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Affordable housing providers’ impact on energy poverty
The webinar will feature a housing project helping moderate income households while achieving high environmental standards.
Guide
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Understanding energy efficiency: A guide for affordable housing providers
This guide is for affordable housing providers, such as municipalities or housing cooperatives, interested in improving energy efficiency in their buildings.
Tool
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Resource library: Community Buildings Retrofit
Find practical case studies and guidance for planning your local community building retrofit.
Webinar recording
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Webinar recording: Introduction to local home-energy financing programs
Learn the basics on delivering local financing programs for home-energy upgrades.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: Saskatoon delivers Saskatchewan’s first local home-energy financing program
Learn how the City of Saskatoon designed its Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) to help residents retrofit their homes and reduce GHG emissions.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Video: Nelson scales up local program to support home-energy upgrades
In this video, Carmen Proctor, Climate & Energy Manager at the City of Nelson, tells the story of the program’s success to date, shares key lessons learned from running the program, and highlights their next steps to scale up the program.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Asset management and energy conservation
Learn how the non-profit housing sector can integrate energy management into asset management to reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Tool
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Resources: Community Efficiency Financing
Read guidebooks and case studies to see how municipalities are designing home upgrade financing programs.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: Kingston supports homeowners with financing program for energy upgrades
Hear from Julie Salter-Keane, Manager of Climate Leadership at the City of Kingston, as she discusses the City’s program implementation and their approach to designing a strong local program.
Video
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Video: 5 keys for sustainable social housing success
This video walks through the key sections of a successful business case: Needs Assessment, Organizational Readiness, Project Vision and Financials.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: New municipal financing program removes barriers to energy-efficiency upgrades for homeowners
Marie-Pierre Paquette discusses how the municipalities of Plessisville, Varennes and Verchères banded together to launch a joint pilot project that would bring energy-efficient home renovations within reach for more homeowners.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: Introduction to home energy upgrade programs
Watch this video to learn more about home energy upgrade programs and how they can help municipalities to tackle climate change, save money, and invest in the local economy.
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Resources: Sustainable Affordable Housing
Learn how to retrofit existing housing for energy-efficiency and plan new builds for higher performance.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: New municipal financing program removes barriers to energy-efficiency upgrades for homeowners
Marie-Pierre Paquette discusses how the municipalities of Plessisville, Varennes and Verchères banded together to launch a joint pilot project that would bring energy-efficient home renovations within reach for more homeowners.
Webinar recording
Energy | Housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Take your project from study to capital
Watch this webinar recording and discover how others have successfully converted studies into a capital project that provides social, economic and environmental benefits.
Webinar recording
Energy
Energy
Webinar recording: The 5 keys to a green municipal project business case
Watch this webinar recording and discover the five critical focus areas you need to address to get your project started, from financing and partnerships to integrating a triple-bottom-line approach.
Video
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Video: 1,500 Toronto residents benefit from retrofit initiative
Bryan Purcell, of The Atmospheric Fund, tells the story of how an initiative to perform energy efficiency retrofits of 7 community housing buildings in Toronto achieved so much more.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Making affordable housing sustainable
Watch this webinar recording to learn about the various forms of grant, loan and capacity building support we offer to help you retrofit existing units or build new ones.
Webinar recording
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Webinar recording: How to create an efficiency financing program for your community
An overview of the funding options, eligibility and application details of GMF’s Community Efficiency Financing program.
Tool
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Factsheets: Community Efficiency Financing
Learn how to design, deliver and market a home upgrade financing program for your community.
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Factsheets: Sustainable Affordable Housing
Learn how to retrofit existing housing for energy-efficiency and plan new builds for higher performance.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Apply for GMF’s Sustainable Affordable Housing funding
Watch this joint webinar hosted by the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA to learn how to apply for FCM’s newest funding initiative – Sustainable Affordable Housing.
Webinar recording
Energy | Housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recordings: Best practices in municipal sustainability
How are cities and communities of all sizes tackling their environmental challenges? Find out from our five-part webinar series on innovations and opportunities in municipal energy, waste, water, transportation and land use initiatives.
Webinar recording
Energy | Housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: How to prepare a GMF capital project application
Need advice for preparing your GMF capital project funding application? Watch our webinar recording to hear tips from our staff and find out what reviewers are looking for.
Related Projects
See All
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing