Fix First HomeWhat home-upgrade rebates actually pay — and who you apply to.

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Administered by the Region of Waterloo, with GrandBridge Energy and Reep Green Solutions.

Waterloo Region's home energy loan, repaid on the electricity bill rather than the tax bill: up to $40,000 at 2.5% over 10 or 15 years, plus up to $2,500 for a heat pump. For now the loan reaches only GrandBridge Energy customers in Cambridge and North Dumfries.

source · verified 27 September 2026

What it pays

Interest rate
2.5%, fixed
Most you can borrow
$40,000
Term
10 or 15 years; no lump-sum part payments
How you repay
On the monthly GrandBridge Energy electricity bill
Project
At least $10,000, 70% of it on energy efficiency, and at least a 25% cut in energy use; ENERGY STAR appliances count
Money up front
Up to 40%
Administrative fee
$450, waived for now, and waived for households under an income line
Incentives for loan participants
UpgradeConditionAmount
Air-source heat pumpA qualified ducted system$2,500
Air-source heat pumpDuctless mini-splits, $1,000 per unit$2,500
Income-qualified incentiveBy the energy saved: $1,000 at 25-30%, $1,500 at 35%, $2,000 at 40%, $2,500 at 45%, $3,000 at 50% or more$1,000–$3,000

Who is eligible

Who can apply

  • A GrandBridge Energy customer in Cambridge or North Dumfries
  • You pay the first energy assessment, $500 to $700
  • For the income-qualified incentive, the same income lines as the Energy Affordability Program: $48,220 for one person up to $127,576 for seven or more

Where the application goes

Energy coaching is free to every homeowner in the region; the loan only in the two municipalities.

Where the application goes
If this is youApply here
Applyretrofitwr.ca

The thing most pages get wrong

It is announced as Waterloo Region's programme, and the loan reaches two of its eight municipalities. The Region says it "does not currently have a similar agreement with other local utility companies" and that there is "no timeline or guarantee" for the rest. Homeowners in Kitchener, Waterloo and the townships get coaching only.

Moving means paying it off

Because the loan sits on the electricity account, not the property: "You will need to repay your loan in full before closing your GrandBridge Energy account." Loans on the property tax bill, like Toronto's and London's, can pass to the buyer.