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Social Housing Energy Savings Program

Program Category: Clean Energy, Built Environment
Program Sub-Category: Energy Efficiency (Housing / Buildings)
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Status: Open

Funder

BC Hydro

Deadline Details

Funding will be provided on a first come, first served basis, subject to availability of funds.

Funder Organization Type

  • Utility

Regional Limitations

This is a regional program and only supports communities in its service area.

(See the Map)

The Social Housing Energy Savings Program aims to help non-profit, co-operative, local government, provincial housing authorities and Indigenous housing providers reduce their electrical energy use. The program helps to identify and implement energy retrofits for multi-unit residential social housing buildings. This program aims to:

  • Improve building performance

  • Reduce energy consumption and costs

  • Upgrade to high-efficiency equipment and systems

  • Optimize the lifespan of equipment with quality installation

Offers available: 

Opportunity assessment funding

  • Get funding of up to $6,000 for a consultant to conduct a high-level assessment and identify electrical energy- and emission-saving opportunities for the properties that you manage. Energy Managers at BC Housing and BC Non-profit Housing Association can complete these studies internally as well.

Feasibility study funding

  • Get funding up to $37,500 for a consultant to conduct an in-depth analysis of specific systems in your building to prepare for a retrofit project.

Equipment upgrade funding

  • Get funding of up to 75% of project upgrade costs, to a maximum of $600,000, plus up to $11,000 in implementation support for whole-building energy upgrades including heat pumps, windows, water heating and more. Choose from BC Hydro's list of measures with pre-determined incentives available or learn about custom projects.

  • The equipment upgrade funding stream is temporarily offering a 20% bonus incentive on lighting (common areas only) and variable-speed drive upgrades submitted between November 1, 2025, and February 12, 2026. This bonus is in addition to the rebate amounts currently available.

    • To be eligible, projects must be implemented by March 14, 2027.

    • Projects switching from natural gas, oil or propane to electricity aren't eligible for this bonus.

Eligible Community

Who is eligible:

  • Provincial/Local government housing authority, or charity organizations that operates social housing buildings
  • Governing body of an Indigenous Community provided the housing is primarily for low-income households.

For complete eligibility, go to the program website.

Regional Limitations

Yes (See the Map)

Professional Input Required

Yes

Applicants must work with a consultant registered through the BC Hydro Alliance.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicant must be a customer in BC Hydro service territory
  • Individual tenants cannot apply to this program

Other Eligible Applicants

Non-governmental Organizations / Not-for-Profits

  • Non-profit housing society registered under the Societies Act,

  • Housing co-op registered under the Cooperative Association Act

     

Range of Funding Available per Project

  • Under $100 000
  • From $100 000 to $1 000 000

Eligible Costs

Planning
Equipment/Material Purchase

Eligible projects:

a. Projects that can apply for the program include:

  • Electrical energy efficiency upgrades & retrofits (e.g., lighting, HVAC systems).
  • Retrofits that result in net positive electrical energy savings.
  • All equipment must be new; rebuilt or reconditioned equipment are not eligible.
  • For rebates, all equipment must be within the specified Eligible Measures List (EML). See appendix A and appendix B.
  • If measures are outside the Eligible Measures List, projects will go through the Custom Incentives pathway.

b. Where only in-suite lighting and fridge upgrade measures are proposed, a minimum of 10 units or 25% of the total units, whichever one is lower, in the building must be retrofitted

Eligible building types:

a. Buildings must be existing and habitable year-round.b. Eligible buildings include:

  • Multi-unit residential buildings (e.g., high-rises, apartment buildings).
  • Side-by-side duplexes, row homes or townhouses with centralized Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning  (HVAC) systems.
  • Mixed use residential buildings must have at least 50% of the total floor area as residential living space; areas used for  commercial or other non-residential usage are excluded from the program.

c. Single detached, semi-detached, row and duplex houses, are not eligible (townhouses that share HVAC systems may be considered eligible).

For a full description of program offers and benefits, visit the participant guide. 

Ineligible Costs

Ineligible projects:a. Projects that are not eligible for the program include:

  • Fuel switching projects (e.g., from gas systems to electric)

  • New construction projects