Program FCM opens in a new tab

WINNER: City of Toronto, ON

The City of Toronto's Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) and High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support Program (Hi-RIS) have won a 2016 FCM Sustainable Communities Award for successfully stimulating energy and water retrofits in privately owned residential buildings. To date the programs have achieved energy savings of 25 per cent and 28 per cent respectively through long-term, low-interest loans to finance energy and water efficiency retrofits.

Read the case study below to learn more about the program results, as well as the challenges and lessons learned that can help your community in planning a similar program. 

Residential high-rise tower, Toronto, ON, 2016 Sustainable Communities Award winner

About the project

Municipal population Project duration Total project value
  • 1.8 million
  • January 2014–December 2016
  • $20 million capital allocation ($10 million per program)
  • No cost to municipal taxpayers

Buildings account for about half of Toronto's overall greenhouse gas emissions. To increase energy efficiency in privately owned residential buildings, Toronto is taking advantage of recent changes to Ontario's Local Improvement Charge (LIC) regulations, allowing municipalities to use LICs as loans to finance energy retrofits on private property.

The first programs of their kind in Ontario, the HELP and Hi-RIS programs are innovative financing tools that support energy and water efficiency retrofits on private residential properties. The city leverages its borrowing power to offer low-interest, long-term loans that cover the upfront costs of improvements. Owners repay the city over time through installments on their property tax bill. Loans are attached to the property rather than the owner, so that if a property is sold, the loan transfers to the new owner, along with the energy savings.

HELP is geared toward single-family homeowners, while Hi-RIS operates as part of the city's Tower Renewal Program and focuses on older apartment buildings. Collaboration with Toronto Hydro and Enbridge Gas ensures linkages with existing conservation incentives.

Transcript

"The programs run through a Local Improvement Charge that allows you to borrow against the future savings and then have it paid back connected to the property rather to the individual, which is key to the programs' success."
— Councillor Mike Layton

Home Energy Loan Program program sign on lawn reading “This home is more energy efficient with HELP from the City of Toronto,” Toronto, ON

Woman who received a Home Energy Loan Program loan standing on the front lawn of her home Toronto, ON

Project Highlights

Results

Environmental Economic Social
  • Anticipated average energy use reduction of 25 per cent for HELP and 28 per cent for Hi-RIS buildings
  • Estimated annual GHG reductions of 4,900 tonnes of eCO2 per year for all projects combined (3 tonnes per HELP participant and 340 tonnes per Hi-RIS project)
  • Estimated annual electricity savings of 4.8 million kWh and natural gas savings of 2.37 million m3
  • Lower energy bills for property owners
  • Average payback of 10 years with an estimated 12 per cent rate of return for owners on funds borrowed
  • Revenue-neutral, with programs' operating costs covered by funders and user fees
  • Improved quality and durability of city housing stock
  • More equitable access to financing for lower-income homeowners
  • Improved home comfort and quality of life for residents
  • Owners restricted from passing project costs on to tenants

Challenges

  • The city needed to work closely with financial institutions to develop a mortgage lender consent process for this new type of financing tool.
  • Due to longer timelines required for many improvement projects at multi-residential buildings, there is a potential that some property owners may alter the improvements that they implement or fail to complete part of the project after the Property Owner Agreement is executed. Program guidelines are designed to accommodate factors such as changes to improvements, and a protocol has been developed to maintain regular communication with property owners before and after the Property Owner Agreement is signed.
  • For multi-residential building property owners with larger portfolios, owners may choose not to participate if the interest rate offered by the city is not competitive enough compared to market rates for conventional loans.
  • Education is required to help people understand this new financing model. As the first municipality in Ontario to use this model, the city cannot point to other examples to demonstrate how it works.

Lessons learned

  • Clearly identify the target market to position the program successfully and encourage uptake.
  • Promote the broad range of co-benefits to reach audiences with different interests. For example, some may be most interested in reducing energy bills or improving home comfort, while others could be more concerned with environmental stewardship.
  • Leverage the communication networks of utilities, local distribution companies, retrofit contractors, energy advisors, equipment manufacturers, community groups, industry associations and realtors, to promote the program widely.
  • Engage all relevant city departments in setting up the program, to coordinate and streamline its administration and ensure that the program meets all regulatory requirements.
  • Set up a one-window approach to customer service.
Partners and collaborators Project planning documents

More information

Marco Iacampo, Supervisor, Environment and Energy Division
City of Toronto, Ontario
T. 416-392-6063

Aderonke Akande, Project Manager, Tower and Neighbourhood Revitalization
City of Toronto, Ontario
T. 416-397-5257

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. 

Visit the projects database

Related Resources

See All
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy | housing Energy | Housing

Aspen Heights: Redefining affordable housing in Saskatoon

Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy | housing Energy | Housing

Heartland Housing Foundation: Building a sustainable future in Fort Saskatchewan

Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy | housing Energy | Housing

Building a better future: CABN’s net-zero affordable housing pilot

Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy | housing Energy | Housing

Pine Tree Park: Transforming affordable housing with energy efficiency and solar power

Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy | housing Energy | Housing

Rossland Yards: Transforming affordable housing in Rossland, BC

Tool
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy 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 Sustainable affordable housing
energy | housing Energy | Housing

YWCA Banff: Building stability and community through affordable housing

Webinar recording
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
land use Land Use

Webinar Recording: Making sustainable land use decisions in your municipality

Watch our webinar to explore tools for sustainable land use decision-making. Learn to assess financial and climate impacts and apply practical strategies for your municipality.

Tool
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Guide: Equity and non-energy benefits of community building retrofits

Explore the equity and other non-energy benefits of retrofitting community buildings.

Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy 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
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy 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

Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy Energy

Webinar recording: Transform your approach to energy efficiency with the Housing Providers’ Toolkit

Watch the discussion on how to take advantage of the Housing Providers’ Toolkit.

Guide
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Guide: Taking your indoor swimming pool to net zero

A guide with key measures and lessons learned to help you build a plan for net-zero indoor swimming pools.

Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy 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 Municipal and community buildings
energy | housing 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.

Tool
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Factsheets: Community Buildings Retrofit initiative

Learn how to retrofit existing community buildings to lower GHG emissions and extend their life cycle.

Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Webinar Recording: Enhance comfort and energy savings with municipal building envelopes

Watch this webinar to explore strategies for optimizing municipal building envelopes, enhancing both comfort and energy efficiency.

Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Webinar recording: Energy efficiency for reaching net zero

Learn how municipalities can advance energy efficiency initiatives to reach net-zero targets.

Webinar recording
energy Energy

Webinar recording: Planning for net-zero emissions

Municipal leaders and experts discuss strategies for achieving net-zero emissions targets and scaling up climate action efforts at the local level.

Video
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy Energy

Video: Durham Region, ON launches novel financing model

A video showcasing innovative and accessible financing options for home-energy upgrades.

Video
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Video: Retrofitting community buildings for maximum GHG reduction impact

A short video explaining the pathway approach of retrofitting a building - using an outcomes-oriented approach - to achieve (near) net zero carbon buildings over time.

Tool
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Community Buildings Retrofit Advisory Service

The CBR Advisory Service is a new service that is intended to help smaller municipalities by matching them to industry leaders who understand best practices in the CBR field and can help provide personalized coaching and advice, including clarified goals, insights, and replicable results.

Guide
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy Energy

Community Efficiency Financing market guide

Guide to help Canadian municipalities assess potential home energy upgrade programs

Webinar recording
Local energy generation Local energy generation
energy Energy

Webinar recording: An introduction to district energy

Learn how a centralized heating and cooling system can help your municipality reduce GHG emissions and save money.

Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Webinar recording: Supporting small and medium municipalities through the Community Buildings Retrofit initiative

Watch this webinar recording to learn about successful examples of completed retrofits, how municipalities can choose the right funding options and to answer any questions about the funding process.

Guide
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Guide: Taking your indoor ice rink to net zero

A practical guide to get you started on your own net zero retrofit plan and to help you develop an actionable roadmap to net zero ice rinks.

Guide
Municipal fleet electrification Municipal fleet electrification
transportation Transportation

Priority Municipal Actions to Enable Zero Emission Vehicle Adoption

GMF and Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3) collaborated to create six priority municipal actions to accelerate zero emission vehicle adoption.

Guide
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy 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.

Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Webinar: Transitioning ice rinks to net-zero

Learn the basics of building retrofits for facility buildings

Tool
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Resource library: Community Buildings Retrofit

Find practical case studies and guidance for planning your local community building retrofit.

Webinar recording
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy Energy

Webinar recording: Introduction to local home-energy financing programs

Learn the basics on delivering local financing programs for home-energy upgrades.

Video
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy 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
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy | housing 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.

Tool
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy Energy

Resources: Community Efficiency Financing

Read guidebooks and case studies to see how municipalities are designing home upgrade financing programs.

Video
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy 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.

Guide
energy Energy

Factsheet: Governance strategies for deep decarbonization

This factsheet provides senior municipal leaders with governance strategies for achieving deep emissions reductions in each decarbonization pathway.

Guide
energy Energy

Factsheet: Governance components for deep decarbonization

This factsheet introduces senior municipal leaders to key components of a good governance structure for deep emissions reductions and implementation actions.

Guide
energy Energy

Factsheet: Municipal governance for deep decarbonization

This factsheet provides senior municipal leaders with the pathways and steps for achieving deep decarbonization and net-zero emissions by 2050.

Tool
energy Energy

Climate Action Accelerator for Community Buildings

Is your municipality looking to drive climate action by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in municipally-owned buildings, but is unsure how to maximize time and impact, secure funding and partnerships, or how to get started? FCM’s Climate Action Accelerator for Community Buildings will help up to 20 small and mid-sized municipalities take climate action within their building portfolios.

Video
energy Energy

Video: Tips from Iqualuit’s LEED Silver aquatic centre

In this video, you will learn the key elements and lessons learned that helped Iqaluit succeed on building its energy efficient aquatic centre.

Video
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy 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
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy 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.

Video
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy 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: How to adapt green municipal projects to stand the test of time

Watch this webinar recording and explore how to build and adapt projects to make them truly sustainable in the long term.

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
energy Energy

Introducing GMF’s Community Buildings Retrofit initiative

Discover how GMF can support your community building retrofits, from funding for energy monitoring, building commissioning, studies and capital projects to capacity-building activities and resources.

Report
energy Energy

Article series: Meet LC3’s climate leaders

Read our article series to get to know the leaders of the Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3) network, and learn how they are advancing effective ways to address climate change in big cities.

Tool
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

GMF’s Municipal Energy Roadmap

Solutions for Canadian communities to achieve significant GHG emissions reductions in buildings and meet long-term sustainability objectives.

Tool
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Primer for elected officials: Municipal Energy Roadmap

This primer for elected officials outlines how the Municipal Energy Roadmap can help choose the right energy-related solutions for your buildings.

Tool
Sustainable affordable housing Sustainable affordable housing
energy Energy

Regional Energy Coaches

Regional Energy Coaches help affordable housing providers plan energy efficiency retrofits and new builds.

Tool
Municipal and community buildings Municipal and community buildings
energy Energy

Factsheets: Municipal Energy Roadmap

These factsheets offer specific guidance around building-level solutions, community-level solutions, and long-term strategies to help you drill down and meet your objectives.

Webinar recording
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy 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
Community efficiency financing Community efficiency financing
energy Energy

Factsheets: Community Efficiency Financing

Learn how to design, deliver and market a home upgrade financing program for your community.

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.

Tool
energy Energy

Tool for municipal clean energy program development: Use the Energy Poverty and Equity Explorer to reduce energy poverty and greenhouse gases

The Energy Poverty and Equity Explorer tool, developed by Canadian Urban Sustainability Practitioners (CUSP), offers municipalities access to relevant data so they can better understand energy poverty, and other equity and affordability challenges in their communities.

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 Funding

See All

Capital project: Construction of new sustainable municipal and community buildings

Available funding: Commission and construct a new high-efficiency municipal or community building.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital project: Retrofit of existing municipal buildings

Available funding: Retrofit a municipal building or portfolio of municipal buildings for higher energy performance and significant GHG emissions reduction.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: Retrofit pathway for municipal buildings

Available funding: Outline the design of a proposed retrofit of an existing municipal building or portfolio of existing municipal buildings.

See Funding Opportunity

Pilot: Net-Zero Transformation

Available funding: Evaluate innovative GHG reduction solutions in real-world conditions.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital project: Net-Zero Transformation

Available funding: Deploy a full scale best-in-class GHG reduction solution.

See Funding Opportunity

Business case: Organic Waste-to-Energy

Available funding: Assess viable waste-to-energy systems and business models for your project.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: Organic Waste-to-Energy

Available funding: Outline the design of a proposed organic waste-to-energy system.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital project: Organic Waste-to-Energy

Available funding: Construct, commission and begin operation of an organic waste-to-energy system.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: New construction of municipal and community buildings

Available funding: Outline the design of a proposed new high-efficiency municipal or community building.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: Net-Zero Transformation

Available funding: Assess new approaches and solutions to bring your community closer to net-zero.

See Funding Opportunity

Plan: Net-Zero Transformation

Available funding: Conduct integrated planning exercises to support the municipal transition to net zero.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital project: Community Energy Systems

Available funding: Construct, commission and rapidly deploy a community energy system.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: Community Energy Systems

Available funding: Outline the design of a proposed community energy system.

See Funding Opportunity

Business case: Community Energy Systems

Available funding: Assess viable community energy projects and their business models.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: GHG reduction pathway feasibility

 Determine the best approach to integrating energy and GHG reductions into longer-term management plans.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital project: GHG impact retrofit

Retrofit a building to achieve a minimum 30% reduction in GHG emissions; ideal for shovel-ready projects.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital project: GHG reduction pathway retrofit

Retrofit a building using an outcomes-oriented approach to achieving (near) net zero carbon buildings over time.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: Assess options for a local home-energy upgrade financing program

A feasibility study for an initiative that explores and assesses options for a financing program for home energy upgrades that can achieve triple-bottom-line benefits within your community.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: Evaluate an existing local home-energy upgrade financing program

A program evaluation that helps municipalities with existing financing programs for home-energy upgrades to assess the historical performance of those programs and identify opportunities to improve them.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: Design a local home-energy upgrade financing program

A feasibility study for an initiative that lays the groundwork for a home-energy upgrade financing program by documenting the details needed to obtain approval from your local government.

See Funding Opportunity

Pilot project: Local home-energy upgrade financing program

A pilot project for an initiative that supports implementation of a small-scale version of a local financing program for home energy upgrades.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital program: Loan or credit enhancement for local home-energy upgrade financing program

A capital project for an initiative that capializes a local financing program for home-energy upgrades.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital project: New construction of sustainable affordable housing

A capital project for an initiative that constructs new affordable housing projects to a higher environmental performance standard.

See Funding Opportunity

Capital project: Retrofit of sustainable affordable housing

A capital project for an initiative that supports the integration of leading-edge deep energy efficiency measures and onsite renewable energy generation in existing affordable housing retrofit and new build projects.

See Funding Opportunity

Pilot project: Retrofit or new construction of sustainable affordable housing

A pilot project for an initiative that supports the integration of leading-edge deep energy efficiency measures and onsite renewable energy generation in existing affordable housing retrofit and new build projects.

See Funding Opportunity

Study: Retrofit or new construction of sustainable affordable housing

A feasibility study for an initiative that supports the integration of leading-edge deep energy efficiency measures and onsite renewable energy generation in existing affordable housing retrofit and new build projects.

See Funding Opportunity

Planning: Early support grant for sustainable affordable housing projects

The development of deliverables required in pplications for additional funding (e.g., GMF’s Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) study grant or the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Seed Funding program) as you progress through the next stages of energy-efficient affordable housing projects.

See Funding Opportunity