Residential
City of Calgary
Residential property owners in the City of Calgary can finance up to 100% of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
The Clean Energy Improvement Program, or 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.
The City of Calgary’s Clean Energy Improvement Program will open on November 5, 2024 at 9 a.m. This intake round will accept 100 applications. Visit the City of Calgary’s website for more information.
Highlights
City of Calgary’s Clean Energy Improvement Program
Participant & property eligibility
Must be the legal owner of an existing low-rise residential property located in the City of Calgary and meet all requirements listed in the City of Calgary’s CEIP Terms and Conditions.
Eligible upgrades
All eligible energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades are posted under Residential Upgrades. City of Calgary participants must install eligible upgrades with a minimum total cost of $3,000 to qualify for financing.
Payment term
The maximum payment 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 under Residential Upgrades.
Interest rate
The interest rate provided by the City of Calgary for pre-qualification submissions received in 2023 is 2.95%.
The interest rate provided by the City of Calgary for pre-qualification submissions received in 2024 is 3.25%.
Resources and FAQs
Access additional resources and answers to Frequently Asked Questions about taxes and repayment at calgary.ca/CEIP
Take advantage of incentives
To help you get your retrofit off the ground a little more easily, take advantage of financial incentives from the City of Calgary and other energy efficiency programs.
Project Incentive: 10% off completed projects
The City of Calgary is offering an incentive for completed CEIP projects. The incentive will be applied directly to the Clean Energy Improvement Tax reducing the project financing by up to 10%. Availability is limited and will be provided in a first-come, first-served basis.
Canada Greener Homes Initiative
Residential property owners can participate in the Clean Energy Improvement Program and the federal government’s Canada Greener Homes Initiative. Property owners are encouraged to review the terms and conditions for all programs to ensure their project meets all eligibility criteria.
Start your Clean Energy Improvement Journey
Read your municipality’s CEIP Terms and Conditions, then complete the Pre-Qualification Form with your property’s details. The Pre-Qualification Form is used by the Municipality and Alberta Municipalities to confirm that you and the property meet the basic program eligibility criteria.
When submitting the Pre-Qualification Form you must upload:
- Proof that the property to be upgraded is insured (i.e., home insurance with personal liability coverage of at least $1 million). Accepted proof includes an insurance binder letter or copy of a current insurance policy that clearly states the policy provider, policy number, property address, personal liability coverage, and duration of the policy. If the policy submitted is an offer to renew, it must be accompanied by proof that the full premium has been paid.
After Pre-Qualification is confirmed, complete an EnerGuide Home Evaluation and use the results to choose your upgrades.
- Schedule a pre-project EnerGuide Home Evaluation using a Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Energy Advisor. Choose from the Energy Advisors listed on the Qualified Contractor Directory. If you have completed an EnerGuide Home Evaluation (version 15), you may not need to complete a new one. Check your municipality’s CEIP Terms and Conditions to confirm which EnerGuide Home Evaluation version is eligible.
- Using the Renovation Upgrade Report provided by your Energy Advisor as a guide, decide which eligible upgrades you want to finance through CEIP. The upgrade must be listed on the Residential Upgrades list and must meet all eligibility requirements.
Select a Qualified Contractor and submit the Project Application provided by Alberta Municipalities.
- Contact contractors to get quotes for eligible upgrades. We recommend getting quotes from at least three different contractors for each upgrade.
* IMPORTANT NOTE: Upgrades financed through CEIP must be completed by a CEIP Qualified Contractor. You can find a list of Qualified Contractors on our Directory OR have a contractor you want to work with sign up to be a Qualified Contractor before you submit your Project Application. - With the help of your Qualified Contractor(s), complete the Project Application, submiting the completed form and all required supporting documents to Alberta Municipalities as outlined for each Residential Upgrade.
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 installation(s) can begin.
What are the program agreements?
- The Clean Energy Improvement (CEI) 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, eligible project costs and 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, a Project Agreement will need to be signed with each Primary Qualified Contractor. For more details, see your municipality’s CEIP Terms & Conditions.
After all agreements are signed, Alberta Municipalities will send an Installation Authorization Notice, at which point upgrade installation(s) can begin. All upgrades that are part of the project must be completed within six months of receiving the Installation Authorization Notice.
When the installation of an approved upgrade is complete, you must submit an Upgrade Completion Form confirming final upgrade details and costs to Alberta Municipalities for review. 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, an updated Clean Energy Improvement Agreement will need to be signed with your municipality, to confirm the final amount to be financed.
After all approved upgrades in a CEIP project are installed, a post-project EnerGuide Home Evaluation must be completed to determine the energy savings and verify the installation. Property owners will receive a new EnerGuide rating and label. This label, the updated Renovation Upgrade Report, and the invoice for the evaluation must be submitted to Alberta Municipalities.
Once the project is deemed complete, the approved project cost will be recorded on the property’s tax account. Any CEIP incentives the project is eligible for will be applied to this financing amount, reducing the total amount owing.
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 at any time.
Intake Rounds
The City of Calgary’s Clean Energy Improvement Program will open on November 5, 2024 at 9 a.m. This intake round will accept 100 applications. Visit the City of Calgary’s website for more information.
The first intake round on Jan. 31, 2023 accepted 240 submissions with an estimated financing need of over $7 million.
The City of Calgary paused intake of pre-qualifications after the first round to ensure we can effectively process the large volume, avoiding long wait times and ultimately delivering a better experience for Calgarians who are using this program.
Homeowners will need the support of Energy Advisors and CEIP Qualified Contractors as they prepare their Project Application. We want to ensure that the flow of pre-qualified participants does not exceed the capacity available in the market.
City of Calgary 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.
About the Program
The Clean Energy Improvement Program is one of the many tools the City of Calgary is launching to help meet the goals in the Calgary Climate Strategy – Pathways to 2050. Buildings account for almost 65 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Calgary. A significant portion of the buildings that will exist in Calgary in 2050 have already been built today, making it necessary to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements as we move to a low carbon future. The Clean Energy Improvement Program aims to help Calgarians reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, lower their utility bills, and enjoy a more comfortable home.
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 the City of Calgary’s Bylaw Number 53M2021 which was passed on Dec. 6, 2021. This bylaw enables and governs the implementation of the Clean Energy Improvement Program in the City of Calgary.
The City of Calgary collaborated with Alberta Municipalities to design and launch its program, and received financial assistance from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for capitalization and operations. The program opened on Jan. 31, 2023.
This program is carried out with assistance from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund, an endowment created by the Government of Canada.
The Clean Energy Improvement Program is made possible by the Government of Alberta.
This program is administered by Alberta Municipalities.