Innovative financing models – like Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) or utility on-bill financing – can help residents afford the high cost of energy upgrades and contribute to local greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions. 
 
The City of Kingston, ON, has announced Better Homes Kingston – a local financing program that enables homeowners to pay back the cost of home-energy upgrades through a special charge on their property tax bill. The program intends to support upgrades for 20 to 50 percent of Kingston’s pre-1991 single-family homes by 2040, contributing to the city’s carbon-neutral goals. Tools and technical support are also available to guide homeowners through their home-energy retrofit journey. 

To strengthen the program’s design, the city identified which residents and what types of homes could benefit most from a local financing program. They also worked closely with program partners – including local utility providers and NGOs – to help inform the program’s marketing strategy and ensure that residents will be well-supported to make improvements to their homes. 

What you’ll learn from this video:

  • High-level steps to implementing a home-energy upgrade financing program using the Local Improvement Charge (LIC) model
  • Strategies for designing a program that best supports residents and your local context
  • Techniques to help you understand the potential benefits of a program in your municipality

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.

Read the transcript

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