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Social Housing Energy Savings Program

Accepting applications
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Program Category: Clean Energy, Community Infrastructure
Project Type(s): Energy Efficiency (Housing / Buildings)

Deadline Details

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

Intake Type

Continuous Intake

Funder

BC Hydro

Funding Organization Type

  • Utility

In Partnership With

Government of British Columbia

Funding Range

  • Medium ($50K-$250K)
  • Large ($250K-$500K)
  • Major (over $500K)

Eligible Community

  • Local Governments
  • Indigenous Communities

Eligible Project Activities

  • Project Feasibility
  • Project Planning
  • Project Implementation (e.g. Design / Procurement / Construction)
This program is for communities within a specific service area See service area

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 and building emissions. The program helps to identify and implement energy retrofits and electrical upgrades 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 $40,000 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, with a maximum of $600,000 per site for electrical efficiency equipment upgrades and $400,000 per site for fuel-switching projects. plus up to $400,000 for building electrical systems upgrade. In addition, get funding for 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.

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.

BC Hydro is offering a limited‑time 20% bonus incentive on select equipment upgrades until February 11, 2027. To be eligible, projects must be implemented by March 14, 2027. See program website for details.

Eligible Community

Who is eligible:

Applicants must be one of the following providing affordable or low-income housing:

  • Non-profit housing society registered under the Societies Act

  • Housing co-op registered under the Cooperative Association Act

  • Local/Provincial government housing authority, or registered charity organizations that operate 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)

Required Community Contribution

Community contribution required (please see program website)

Funding Stacking Restrictions

Yes

Funding cannot be stacked with any other BC Hydro or CleanBC programs/offers

Professional Input Required

Yes

Applicants must work with a consultant registered through the BC Hydro Alliance of Energy Professionals. Depending on the offer, applicants may also work with BCNPHA, BC Housing or AHMA.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

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

Other Eligible Communities

Other
Indigenous Organizations
Non-governmental Organizations / Not-for-Profits

Applicants must be one of the following providing affordable or low-income housing:

  • Non-profit housing society registered under the Societies Act

  • Housing co-op registered under the Cooperative Association Act

  • Local/Provincial government housing authority, or registered charity organizations that operate social housing buildings

  • Governing body of an Indigenous community provided the housing is primarily for low-income households 

Type of Funding

  • Rebates

Range of Funding Available per Project

  • Medium ($50K-$250K)
  • Large ($250K-$500K)
  • Major (over $500K)

Eligible Costs

Engineering
Design
Planning
Capital Costs
Equipment/Material Purchase
Project Management

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).

  • Stacked side-by-side duplexes, stacked 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

  • Projects leading to a gas dominant heating system (i.e. gas heating equipment with greater than 50% share in total building heating energy consumption)

Expected Timeframe for Funding Decision

2 months

Funding decisions are made post reviewing the applications from the customers. Opportunity assessment funding – 1 month (approx.) Feasibility study funding – 1-2 months Equipment upgrades funding – 2 months (approx.)

For electrical energy efficiency projects, building or facilities must be within BC Hydro's service area or City of New Westminster. Fuel switching projects may be located anywhere in B.C.