Frequently Asked Questions for Contractors

Qualified Contractors are paid once Alberta Municipalities receives a complete and accurate Upgrade Completion Form from the participant, along with all required supporting documentation, indicating that the upgrade’s installation has achieved substantial performance. 

Alberta Municipalities will remit payment in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act. As such, 90 per cent will be paid to the Qualified Contractor within 28 calendar days of the participant receiving a proper invoice, provided all information is accurate and complete and no lien is placed against the property. The remaining ten per cent will be held back for 60 days in case a lien is placed against the property. 

Not all municipalities’ programs will advance CEIP funds for deposits or milestone payments. If CEIP funds are not advanced, the property owner will need to pay the deposit or milestone payments out-of-pocket; however, the property owner may request to finance the deposit or milestone payments paid out-of-pocket. If requested prior to project completion, deposit and milestone payment costs will be reimbursed once the project is complete and verified. For more information, review the municipality’s Program Terms and Conditions found on each municipality’s CEIP webpage at ceip.abmunis.ca. 

Only one contractor staff member who will be involved in CEIP projects must pass the onboarding quiz for the company to be listed on the Contractor Directory as a Qualified Contractor. However, the Qualified Contractor must ensure that all personnel adheres to the CEIP Qualified Contractor Terms and Conditions. “Personnel” means anyone involved in the development or provision of CEIP services or CEIP deliverables by a Qualified Contractor, whether they are employees, subcontractors or other agents of the Qualified Contractor engaged in CEIP-eligible services. 

Under the legislation, incidental costs are costs expended on preparation or upgrading of the property that is incidental to the clean energy improvement but required for successful execution. For example, roof repairs required for the installation of a rooftop solar project could be considered a financeable incidental cost. 

These costs are eligible for financing under CEIP, up to 15 per cent of the total capital cost of the upgrade. Any excess incidental costs above this limit must be paid by the participating property owner out-of-pocket.

Any incidental work, just like any other type of work being financed under the program, must be completed by a Qualified Contractor that is listed on the Contractor Directory before work begins. 

If a CEIP participant wishes to employ a contractor not yet on the list of CEIP Qualified Contractors, they are encouraged to invite their preferred contractor to apply by visiting ceip.abmunis.ca/contractor. 

Every subcontractor that installs or otherwise provides a service related to an eligible upgrade must be a Qualified Contractor and be listed in the Contractor Directory. Read more about subcontractor responsibilities in the CEIP Qualified Contractor Terms and Conditions. 

Yes. Only eligible costs (upgrade, incidental, and professional service costs) listed in the Clean Energy Improvement Agreement are approved for financing. There may be portions of the project that would not be eligible for CEIP financing. For more information, review the municipality’s Program Terms and Conditions found on each municipality’s CEIP webpage at ceip.abmunis.ca. 

The six-month project timeline begins when the property owner receives an Installation Authorization Notice from Alberta Municipalities, which is provided once a Project Application has been approved and all program agreements have been signed. 

Delays may occur due to any number of unforeseen circumstances. The decision to grant a project extension will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be at the sole discretion of Alberta Municipalities and the participating municipality. 

The Project Agreement is the agreement between Alberta Municipalities, a Qualified Contractor leading the installation of the upgrade(s), professional services, or incidental work (the “Primary Qualified Contractor”) and the property owner. The Project Agreement defines the project’s scope and sets out the terms relating to the Qualified Contractor’s installation of the upgrades, professional services, or incidental work. 

In accordance with CEIP regulation, a Qualified Contractor cannot enter into an agreement for the provision of services relating to the installation of an upgrade other than the Project Agreement. 

Invoices should be in the form set out on the residential and commercial upgrades lists, only contain costs relevant to an upgrade that meets the Upgrade Eligibility Requirements, and be provided at the time of submission of the Upgrade Completion Form. 

No. If a property owner is interested in CEIP financing, an eligible project cannot start until a Project Application is submitted and approved by Alberta Municipalities, all program agreements are signed, and the property owner has received an Installation Authorization Notice from Alberta Municipalities.  

Additions, removals, variations, substitutions, delays in CEIP upgrade installation, or price changes to a CEIP project require a request via change order to be submitted by the participant to Alberta Municipalities. Alberta Municipalities will provide the participant with a change order form to complete with the support of the Qualified Contractor. The change order must be approved by Alberta Municipalities before any changes to the project take place. 

Only costs specified in a signed Clean Energy Improvement Agreement (that is, the financing agreement between the property owner and the municipality) are eligible for financing; this can include costs for eligible upgrades, incidental work, and professional services. For more information, please review the municipality’s Program Terms and Conditions found on each municipality’s CEIP webpage on ceip.abmunis.ca.