Ontario Home Renovation Savings Program: Every Rebate Explained

Ontario's Home Renovation Savings (HRS) program is the province's primary home-energy rebate program right now — delivered by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy (IESO) with support from the Government of Ontario. It replaced the former Home Efficiency Rebate Plus program on January 28, 2025, and offers rebates on a wide range of upgrades, from insulation and heat pumps to windows, doors, and solar panels.

If you've been putting off an energy upgrade, this is the guide that lays out exactly what's available, who qualifies, what the process looks like, and how to make sure the contractor you hire won't cost you the rebate.

What Is the Home Renovation Savings Program?

The Home Renovation Savings program is a provincially supported initiative that puts money back in your pocket when you make eligible energy-efficiency improvements to your home. It's open to homeowners who are connected to the Ontario electricity grid or who heat with Enbridge natural gas — which covers the vast majority of Ontario households.

What's different about HRS compared to the program it replaced is flexibility. You don't have to bundle multiple upgrades to qualify. You can complete a single upgrade — say, adding attic insulation — and still receive a rebate. Or you can bundle several improvements and receive rebates on each one. Either way, the program is designed to meet you where you are, not force you into a renovation scope you didn't plan for.

The provincial government committed approximately $4.997 billion in energy initiatives for families and individuals in the 2025–26 fiscal year, according to Ontario's 2026 Budget, providing the financial backdrop that keeps programs like HRS funded.

Which Upgrades Are Eligible?

According to Enbridge Gas, the Home Renovation Savings program currently covers four main upgrade categories:

Insulation

Adding or improving insulation in your attic, walls, basement, or crawlspace is one of the most cost-effective upgrades an Ontario homeowner can make. Our winters are long, our freeze-thaw cycles are punishing, and a poorly insulated home bleeds heat from October through April. Insulation rebates under HRS are available for multiple areas of the home, and bundling insulation with another eligible upgrade can maximize your total rebate.

Heat Pumps

Air-source heat pumps are a major focus of the HRS program. A heat pump both heats and cools your home more efficiently than a conventional furnace-and-central-air setup, which makes it one of the highest-value upgrades from a rebate standpoint. If you're in the market for a new HVAC system, this is worth investigating carefully. See our Ontario HVAC cost guide for a realistic sense of what installation runs before rebates.

Windows and Doors

Replacing drafty windows and exterior doors with energy-efficient models qualifies for rebates under the program. Given Ontario's climate — cold winters, humid summers, and significant wind loads in many regions — this upgrade pays dividends in both comfort and heating bills.

Solar Panels

Rooftop solar installations are also eligible. This is a longer-payback investment than insulation or a heat pump, but the combination of rebates and reduced electricity costs makes the math more attractive than it has been in previous years.

What About Other Ontario Energy Programs?

The Home Renovation Savings program isn't the only financial support available to Ontario homeowners. A few others are worth knowing:

Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER)

The Ontario government confirms that the Ontario Electricity Rebate currently provides a 23.5% rebate on eligible residential electricity bills (effective November 1, 2025). This applies automatically to most residential customers — you don't need to apply separately.

Energy Affordability Program

For lower-income households, the Energy Affordability Program provides free electricity-saving measures such as smart thermostats, LED lighting, and efficient appliances. Eligibility is income-based and delivered through local utilities.

Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)

If you're behind on your energy bills, LEAP provides emergency financial assistance. It's a short-term lifeline, not a renovation rebate, but worth knowing if affordability is a concern.

Note: The former Home Efficiency Rebate Plus (HER+) program — the predecessor to HRS — is fully wound down. Enbridge Gas confirms that intake ended January 27, 2025. Any contractor still advertising HER+ rebates is out of date.

What the Application Process Actually Looks Like

Here's a plain-language walkthrough of how the HRS program works in practice:

The program is ongoing, but rebate amounts and eligible products can change. Check the official program website for current figures before committing to a scope of work.

Why the Contractor You Hire Matters as Much as the Rebate

This is the part most rebate guides skip, and it's where Ontario homeowners get burned.

Rebates under the Home Renovation Savings program are only paid out when work is done correctly, by a qualified installer, using eligible products, with the right documentation. A contractor who cuts corners — uses a product that doesn't meet program specs, skips the required paperwork, or isn't properly certified — can cost you the entire rebate on top of the cost of the work itself.

For heat pump installations, the contractor must be qualified to work with refrigerants and, where gas lines are involved, registered with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA). For electrical work tied to a heat pump or solar installation, the work must be permitted and inspected under the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). These aren't bureaucratic boxes — they're protections for you.

When you're hiring for any HRS-eligible upgrade, ask:

A contractor who hesitates or gets vague on any of these questions is a red flag. The HVAC contractors listed on ProScore have been scored across credentials, verified registrations, customer sentiment, and business transparency — so you can see at a glance how a contractor stacks up before you call them.

If you're in Toronto, you can browse HVAC contractors in Toronto directly. For broader renovation work involving insulation, framing, or windows, a general contractor with experience in energy retrofits may be the right starting point.

How to Evaluate a Contractor Before You Sign

Beyond the rebate-specific questions above, here's what to verify for any major home energy upgrade in Ontario:

ProScore's Trust Index scores contractors across reputation, verified credentials, customer sentiment, and business transparency — pulling from 10+ data sources and 30,000+ reviews analyzed across Ontario. You can read about how the Trust Index works to understand what goes into a contractor's score. When a contractor sits in our Elite or Trusted tier, it means they've demonstrated consistency across all four of those dimensions — not just a handful of good reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

What upgrades are covered under Ontario's Home Renovation Savings program?

The Home Renovation Savings program currently covers insulation (attic, walls, basement, crawlspace), air-source heat pumps, energy-efficient windows and doors, and solar panel installations. Eligibility applies to homeowners connected to the Ontario electricity grid or heating with Enbridge natural gas. Rebate amounts vary by upgrade type and product specifications — check homerenovationsavings.ca for current figures before planning your project.

Do I need a home energy audit to qualify for Ontario renovation rebates?

For most major upgrades under the Home Renovation Savings program — particularly insulation and heat pumps — yes, a pre-retrofit home energy assessment by a licensed energy advisor is required before work begins. The assessment establishes your home's baseline and is necessary to unlock the rebate. A post-retrofit assessment is also required after the work is complete. Skipping either step typically disqualifies your application, so book the pre-assessment before hiring a contractor.

How do I find a qualified contractor for Ontario Home Renovation Savings rebates?

Start by confirming the contractor is familiar with HRS program requirements for your specific upgrade. For HVAC and heat pump work, verify TSSA registration; for any electrical component, confirm an ESA permit will be pulled. Ask for product specifications upfront so you can verify eligibility before signing. ProScore scores Ontario contractors across credentials, customer sentiment, and business transparency — use ProScore's search] to compare contractors in your area before you commit.

The Bottom Line

The Home Renovation Savings program is a genuine opportunity to reduce your energy costs and improve your home's comfort, with real money back from the province. But the rebate is only as good as the contractor who does the work. Sloppy installation, wrong products, or missing documentation can wipe out the financial benefit entirely.

Take the time to verify your contractor's credentials, ask the right questions upfront, and use tools like ProScore to compare your options before signing anything. A well-chosen contractor makes the difference between a smooth rebate experience and a frustrating one.

Search ProScore for scored HVAC and renovation contractors across Ontario