Clean Energy Improvement Program Overview
The Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP), administered by Alberta Municipalities, makes energy efficiency upgrades more accessible for homeowners, so you can save on energy bills and enjoy a more comfortable, efficient home for you and your family.
CEIP offers flexible financing to help cover the upfront costs of energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades, allowing homeowners to make improvements without the big upfront investment.
What Upgrades Are Available?
The Clean Energy Improvement Program has over two dozen residential energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades that can make your property more comfortable and energy efficient.
Upgrade categories include:
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
A high-efficiency furnace or heat pump and smart thermostats will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. - Renewable energy, solar PV and solar thermal
Harness the power of the sun to generate heat and electricity any time of year. - Lighting
Enjoy higher quality and dynamic lighting while saving energy with LED upgrades. - Water heating
Stop pouring money down the drain when you get tankless hot water and drain heat recovery. - Doors, windows, insulation and air sealing
Keep your home cozy by sealing drafts, adding insulation, and upgrading windows and doors.
Financing
CEIP provides financing for up to 100% of the project costs, while providing competitive interest rates. For our municipality, the fixed interest rate is 3%.
Payment terms
The program offers flexible repayment terms of up to 25 years, with the option to repay in full anytime, penalty-free.
Repayments are made through your property tax bill, and the financing remains tied to the property tax obligation (i.e., if you decide to sell your property, you can pay off the balance without penalty or leave the remaining balance with the property tax bill).
Grant and loan funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities offsets the program administration and the upfront costs for the home energy upgrades for the first four years.
Participant & property eligibility
Participants must be the legal owner of an existing low-rise residential property located in our municipality and meet all requirements listed in the Terms & Conditions.
Key Features
- 3% fixed interest rate
- A project Incentive of $500 is available for completed CEIP projects. Incentive availability is limited and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis to participants who complete a CEIP project. The incentive will be applied directly to the Clean Energy Improvement Tax to reduce the total project financing amount. Only one CEIP Upgrade Incentive of $500 is available per project.
- The Clean Energy Improvement Program is first-come, first-served. Roughly 15 residential upgrade projects are budgeted for each year during the four years the Town has funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
- Homeowners will need to have five years of property tax history to be eligible.
- The Clean Energy Improvement Charge is tied to the property, not the property owner.
- Repayment is through property tax with terms based on the effective useful life (EUL) of the completed upgrades to a maximum of 20 years.
- CEIP is stackable with rebates and incentives.
Preparation Checklist
Before you apply: your preparation checklist
To avoid any interruptions or delays, kindly take a moment to review all details and requirements.
- Inform all property owners of your intention to apply for CEIP financing.
- All property owners will need to sign the Project Application Form and Program agreements. Additionally, one property owner needs to sign the Pre-Qualification Form and Upgrade Completion Forms. Please ensure that you read the Terms and Conditions before applying.
- Check that your property is eligible for CEIP financing. Residential properties must, at minimum, be existing buildings that are either a:
- single or semi-detached house;
- row house;
- town home; or
- the residential portion of a mixed-use building or a multi-unit residential building. This may apply to buildings under three storeys with a footprint of 600 square meters (6,458 square feet) or less.
- Check that you meet the minimum financial requirements & property tax requirements:
- Your property tax is not in arrears, now or at any time in the last five years.
- You do not have late tax payments on your home, or other homes you have owned, at any time in the past five years.
- You are in good standing with all other accounts with your municipality (e.g., utilities, permits, bylaws etc.)
- Your home is not in foreclosure.
- You are not in bankruptcy or receivership.
- You are current on all property-secured debt payments (e.g., mortgage, home equity line of credit).
- Check your mortgage agreement, insurance policies, and building policies, and have copies of each ready.
- Check with your mortgage lender as some mortgage agreements may require your lender’s consent before you apply for CEIP financing.
- Your home insurance policy may cover the property’s full value and must cover at least $1 million in personal liability insurance.
- If your property is within a building that includes shared facilities or common property (e.g., condo, row house, town house) and your project will impact shared facilities / property include an approval letter from your condo board or building owner with your application.
- Review the Pre-Qualification Form for the information you must include in your application.
- We will need your property description & roll number. These are on your most recent property tax assessment notice.
How CEIP Works?
Completing a clean energy improvement on your home through CEIP by following these eight steps:
Step 1: Pre-Qualification
Read the CEIP Terms and Conditions. Complete the Pre-Qualification Form at myCEIP.ca. This confirms that you and your property meet the basic program qualification criteria.
Step 2: EnerGuide home evaluation
Once pre-qualified, schedule an EnerGuide home evaluation to learn about your home’s energy performance. the fee for this evaluation is paid by the homeowner.This will help you understand your priority options for home improvements.
Step 3: Project application
Choose a Qualified Contractor at myCEIP.ca/directory and plan your project. Then, submit your Project Application to Alberta Municipalities.
Step 4: Agreements
Once approved, you’ll enter into a Clean Energy Improvement Agreement and Project Agreement.
Step 5: Project installation
After signing agreements, work with your Qualified Contractor to complete the improvements.
Step 6: Upgrade completion
Submit your upgrade completion forms as your improvements are completed.
Step 7: Post-project EnerGuide home evaluation
After your project is complete, a post-project EnerGuide evaluation will provide a new rating and label based on your home’s upgrades.
Step 8: Repayment
You’ll repay the project cost through your property tax bill as per your Clean Energy Improvement Agreement.
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Partners and Support
Are you a contractor wanting to become a qualified?
To be eligible for financing, all projects must be completed by a Qualified Contractor. These are Alberta-based energy efficiency and renewable energy experts.
Visit the Clean Energy Improvement Program website to browse the directory of Qualified Contractors, including businesses with roots in your own municipality.