Commercial
Sturgeon County
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Commercial property owners in Sturgeon County can finance up to 100% of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
KEY FEATURES
- 4.25% variable interest rate* as of September 4, 2024
- FREE Energy Coaching
- APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
The Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) is an innovative financing tool for property owners in Alberta. Access competitive interest rates and make repayment convenient through your property’s regular tax bill.
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Highlights
Sturgeon County’s Clean Energy Improvement Program
For full program details, read the Sturgeon County Commercial CEIP Terms and Conditions.
Participant & property eligibility
Must be the legal owner of an existing non-residential or farm land property located in Sturgeon County and meet all requirements listed in the Sturgeon County Commercial CEIP Terms and Conditions.
At least one of the property owners must have owned the property for at least five (5) consecutive years prior to the CEIP application.
Eligible upgrades
All eligible energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades are posted in the Commercial Eligible Upgrades list. Projects must have a minimum cost of $3,000 to qualify for financing.
Payment terms
The maximum financing term is the lesser of 20 years or the effective useful life (EUL) of the eligible upgrades. The EUL is the average time in years where the upgrade is expected to result in energy savings and is noted in the Commercial Eligible Upgrades list.
Interest rate
Property owners benefit from lower interest rates secured from lenders by Sturgeon County. The variable interest rate is calculated based on the prime interest rate of the Canadian financial institution from which the municipality is borrowing. As of September 4, 2024, the program interest rate currently 4.25%.
Property eligibility: Non-Residential
Examples of eligible non-residential properties are privately-owned commercial properties designed for general commercial occupancy and used for business activities, (e.g., shopping centres, stores and restaurants), accommodation properties (e.g., hotels and motels); and special purpose properties that were built to suit a specific purpose (e.g., church, museum, recreational facility, golf course, and performing arts facilities).
Property eligibility: Farm land
Farm land properties are eligible if land is used for farming operations as defined in Alberta’s Matters Relating to Assessment and Taxation Regulation (MRAT), 2018.
Full program details
For all the details on eligibility, payment terms, interest rate and full program details, please read the program’s terms & conditions.
FREE RETROFIT COACHING
FREE RETROFIT COACHING
To help you get your retrofit off the ground a little more easily, take advantage of free retrofit coaching through Alberta Ecotrust.
FROM NOW UNTIL 2026
FREE RETROFIT COACHING AVAILABLE!
Now through 2026, owners and managers of multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs), commercial, and institutional properties can access complimentary retrofit coaching services. Alberta Ecotrust Retrofit Accelerator coaches will guide you through every stage of your deep retrofit journey. Plus, partial funding for energy studies is also available.
To learn more, visit the Alberta Ecotrust website or contact Alberta Ecotrust’s Retrofit Accelerator Program to get started today!”
Start your Commercial Clean Energy Improvement Program journey
Read the Sturgeon County Commercial CEIP Terms and Conditions then complete the Pre-Qualification Form with your property’s details. You must complete and submit the Pre-Qualification Form and the following documents to Alberta Municipalities to be considered for pre-qualification:
- Proof the property to be upgraded is insured. Accepted proof includes documentation that clearly states the policy provider, policy number, property address, commercial liability coverage, and duration of the policy (e.g., insurance binder letter). At a minimum, the following must be included in the insurance policy:
- Standard commercial broad form property insurance; and
- $2 million in commercial liability insurance.
- Proof that payments are current if there is property-secured debt associated with the Property (e.g., mortgage and/or property-secured line of credit). Accepted proof includes statements showing the four most recent payments or a letter from the lender stating the Participant is current on payments.
Please note: if you are not in compliance with current land use bylaw requirements, or up to date on payment for any account with the municipality, you may be ineligible to participate in CEIP. Please reach out to Sturgeon County directly if you are unsure of your status in these areas.
For Projects that contain energy efficiency upgrades:
After the Pre-Qualification is approved by Alberta Municipalities, schedule and complete an ASHRAE Level 2 audit and submit the Project Application Form provided by Alberta Municipalities:
- Within 1 month of receiving Pre-qualification approval, submit proof to Alberta Municipalities that an ASHRAE Level 2 audit has been scheduled.
- Acceptable proof includes a quote from an engineering consultant (who must be listed as a Qualified Contractor) stating the Property location, a list of audit requirements required under the Program, and the date the audit is scheduled to occur.
- If an ASHRAE Level 2 audit has been completed within the 24 months prior to the Pre-Qualification Form submission date, and it meets the requirements of the Program (see Appendix A of the Sturgeon County Commercial CEIP Terms and Conditions), proof that an ASHRAE Level 2 audit has been scheduled is not required. A copy of the ASHRAE Level 2 audit report must be submitted to Alberta Municipalities with the Pre-Qualification Form.
- If an ASHRAE Level 2 energy audit has not been completed within the last 24 months, have an engineering consultant listed as a Qualified Contractor to complete this audit.
- The ASHRAE Level 2 audit must meet the minimum requirements outlined in Appendix A of the Edmonton CEIP Terms and Conditions.
- A copy of the audit must be submitted to Alberta Municipalities at the time of project application.
- The Property Owner must pay for the ASHRAE Level 2 audit out of pocket. In the Project Application Form, the Participant may request to finance the cost of the ASHRAE Level 2 audit; if financing is requested and approved, the Participant will be reimbursed in accordance with the Edmonton Commercial CEIP Terms and Conditions. To be eligible for financing, the ASHRAE Level 2 audit must be completed on or after the date of submission of a Pre-Qualification Form.
- Using the ASHRAE Level 2 audit as a guide, decide which upgrades you want to complete and finance through CEIP. The upgrades must be listed in the Commercial Eligible Upgrades list and must meet all eligibility requirements.
- Contact at least three Qualified Contractors to get quotes for the eligible upgrades you plan to finance.
- With the help of your Qualified Contractor(s), complete the Project Application Form and submit the completed form and all required supporting documentation to Alberta Municipalities.
In the Project Application Form, the Participant may request to finance the cost of the ASHRAE Level 2 audit; if financing is requested and approved, the Participant will be reimbursed in accordance with Section 8.2. To be eligible for financing, the ASHRAE Level 2 audit must be completed on or after the date of submission of a Pre-Qualification Form.
For Projects that contain renewable energy upgrades:
If the project contains renewable energy upgrades, have an engineering consultant listed as a Qualified Contractor complete a feasibility study.
- If a feasibility study was complete within the 24 months prior to the Pre-Qualification Form submission date, property owners are not required to complete another study.
- A copy of the feasibility study must be submitted to Alberta Municipalities at the time of project application.
- The feasibility study is in addition to the ASHRAE Level 2 audit.
- The feasibility study is not required for Solar PV Upgrades.
The Project Application must include all required supporting documentation and a quote for the equipment and installation cost of the upgrades from one or more Qualified Contractors listed on the CEIP Qualified Contractor Directory.
If the Project Application is approved, we will confirm the approved financing amount and provide the Clean Energy Improvement Agreement and the Project Agreement for your review and signature. Both agreements must be signed by all required parties before upgrade installations can begin.
What are the program agreements?
- The Clean Energy Improvement Agreement is an agreement between the property owner and the municipality. It sets out the financing terms, disclosure requirements in the event of property sale, project costs, and the project completion deadline.
- The Project Agreement is a tri-party agreement between the property owner, the Qualified Contractor, and Alberta Municipalities. It defines the scope of the project and sets out the terms relating to the Qualified Contractor’s installation of the upgrades. For projects where you are hiring more than one Qualified Contractor (e.g., solar installer, window installer), a Project Agreement will need to be signed with each contractor.
After both agreements are signed, Alberta Municipalities will send an Installation Authorization Notice to the property owner and the Qualified Contractors, at which point upgrade installations can begin. All upgrades that are part of the project must be completed within one year of receiving the Installation Authorization Notice.
When the installation of an approved upgrade is complete you must submit an Upgrade Completion Form with all supporting documents, confirming final upgrade details and costs to Alberta Municipalities.
If your CEIP project has multiple upgrades completed at different times, multiple Upgrade Completion Forms will need to be submitted. Once the Upgrade Completion Form is processed and approved, Alberta Municipalities will pay your Qualified Contractor(s) directly.
Once all upgrades in your project are complete, and after Step 6 is complete, the City of Edmonton will confirm the final total financing amount and have you sign an updated Clean Energy Improvement Agreement.
After all approved upgrades in a CEIP project are installed, a post-project Memo must be completed by your engineering consultant to determine the energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings and verify the installation. The Memo must be submitted to Alberta Municipalities within 6 weeks of the final Upgrade Completion Form being submitted.
Once the project is deemed complete, the approved project cost will be recorded on the property’s tax account.
You will repay the cost of the project over time through the Clean Energy Improvement Tax added to your property’s tax bill. The outstanding balance may be paid as a one-time lump sum payment at any time during the repayment period.
Frequently Asked Questions
A waitlist will be created that will allow applicants to proceed to the next round of funding, expected in spring of 2024. Waitlisted applicants will be contacted to see if they are still interested in participating in the program when the next round of funding opens.
A multi-year program for both residential and commercial properties is being developed for the second quarter of 2024. Commercial applicants who are unable to participate during the 2-year pilot will be waitlisted for future intakes when they occur.
It is not clear the exact amount of greenhouse gasses that will be saved in Sturgeon County as a direct result of this program but on average measures like this have catalyzed three-tonnes of savings in single family homes. Approximately 38% of emissions are generated by residential, institutional and commercial buildings (commercial/Institutional, 20%; residential 18%).
The City has set an aggressive target to be carbon neutral in its corporate operations by 2040 and for the entire community to produce net zero GHG emissions by 2050. CEIP is one tool to help them meet their targets. The requirement for multiple upgrades to qualify for CEIP financing ensures deeper green retrofits are supported.
The pilot program was forecasted to allow approximately 80 residential properties and 20 commercial properties.. Administration costs are defined and set through agreements with the federal government and Alberta Municipalities.
Yes, Clean Energy Improvement Program participants can qualify for and receive additional rebates and incentives. We encourage applicants to pursue all other applicable government (municipal/provincial/federal), utility provider/manufacturer rebates.
Sturgeon County Qualified Contractors
Find a local contractor to upgrade your property.
Browse the Contractor Directory to get started with a professional who already understands your financing requirements.
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About the Program
The Clean Energy Improvement Program helps Sturgeon County achieve community sustainability goals by improving building stocks, lowering property owner expenses and reducing the community’s energy needs.
The program was made possible by the Government of Alberta’s Bill 10: An Act to Enable Clean Energy Improvements (passed June 6, 2018) and a Sturgeon County bylaw passed in April, 2022. This bylaw enables and governs the implementation of the Clean Energy Improvement Program in Sturgeon County.
Sturgeon County collaborated with Alberta Municipalities to design and launch its program.
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This program is supported by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund, an endowment created by the Government of Canada.
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The Clean Energy Improvement Program is made possible by the Government of Alberta.
This program is administered by Alberta Municipalities.