Retrofit Halton Hills Pilot Program

Given that residential buildings in Halton Hills account for about 31% of energy consumption and 22% of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions (per 2016 data, Low Carbon Transition Strategy), home energy retrofits were identified in the Low Carbon Transition Strategy (LCTS) as one of the most impactful actions to reduce emissions.

In 2020, the Town worked with Dunsky Energy Consulting to develop a home energy retrofit program, Retrofit Halton Hills, consulting with the public on the design of the pilot program.

The Retrofit Halton Hills (RHH) pilot program was launched in April 2022 to advance the Town's climate resilience goals by providing homeowners access to interest-free financing for energy retrofits. The pilot program was 50% funded through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Green Municipal Fund.

The pilot program had capacity to accept ten home retrofit projects which were completed between December 2022 and July 2024. The most popular retrofits were windows/doors, insulation and solar installation. However, there was a large variety in the types of retrofits which also included heat pumps, high efficiency furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, and air sealing. The average loan amount was $36,000.00 and most participants also received at least $5,000.00 in rebates through other programs.

The pilot program was highly effective and successful with participating homes achieving an average energy reduction of 29.3% (range between 8%-68%) and an average greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of 33.6% (range between 0%-90%). Only retrofits that reduced energy use from fossil fuels resulted in a GHG reduction.

The pilot program demonstrated that retrofitting existing homes in Halton Hills can help residents save money by reducing energy bills, reduce GHG emissions, reduce energy demand, and improve home comfort.

After the completion of the RHH pilot program, Town staff explored options for how to offer a retrofit and energy saving program on a larger scale for less cost. In May 2025, Council approved a new project titled “Greener Homes Halton Hills” to offer two new services for two years to residents of Halton Hills:

This project will require minimal staff resources as the work will be delivered by Windfall Centre, a non-profit social enterprise currently providing similar services to Durham Region. Only Energy Coach time spent directly supporting Halton Hills residents will be billed as a cost to the project. Loans will not be provided as part of the project, but the Energy Coaching, offered to residents for free, will help residents identify financing options and identify the best retrofits to save them money while increasing home comfort.

Launching in Fall 2025, the project will enable owners/occupants of all eligible residential buildings (up to 3 stories) to access the online tool and approximately 100- 200 residents could receive one-on-one support/advice, increasing access to new provincial rebates, and greatly increasing the reach of the program. Further, this program can support local HVAC and retrofit businesses that may be hired to implement retrofits. The results and experiences from the RHH pilot program will be shared to provide local examples for residents, demonstrating what their neighbours were able to achieve through retrofits and sharing advice and testimonials.

The Greener Homes Halton Hills project will address barriers to implementing retrofits that were identified in our 2021 survey, including:

For more details on the completed Retrofit Halton HIlls Pilot program and the Greener Homes Halton Hills Project, you can read the May 2025 Council Report.