FCM and the Government of Canada Announce $66.3 M in 162 Energy Efficient Housing Projects
September 8, 2026
Funding supports homeowners and affordable housing providers in reducing energy costs and improving quality of life, while adding jobs to communities coast-to-coast
The Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) today announced that $66.3 million in funding has been approved for 162 energy efficiency projects across the country. The investments were made through the Green Municipal Fund’s (GMF) Community Efficiency Financing (CEF) and Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiatives and include capital projects, program design studies, and feasibility studies.
The announcement was made jointly by FCM’s GMF Chair Berry Vrbanovic and the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, from a Regional Municipality of Durham multi-unit rent-geared to income building currently undergoing retrofits to increase energy efficiency while enhancing comfort and air quality for senior residents. Announced in 2025, the four-building retrofit project has received a $4.8 million grant and $5.2 million loan through the Sustainable Affordable Housing initiative.
Energy-efficient buildings are essential to Canada’s national prosperity and resilience. They are key to keeping energy bills affordable, to reducing GHG emissions, to improving health and comfort in the face of extreme weather, and to increasing skilled job opportunities and driving new investment.
By working together with supportive policies and investments, governments, industry, building sector organizations and other partners are increasing Canadians’ access to the benefits of home energy efficiency and boosting the sustainability and economic resiliency of communities across the country.
Community Efficiency Financing
Included in this announcement is $34.6 million for 21 projects through GMF’s Community Efficiency Financing initiative. This initiative is empowering municipalities and their partners to provide financing options for homeowners to reduce costs through energy efficiency home upgrades. On average, homeowners save 30% in energy costs following CEF-funded upgrades.
The financing programs are designed and administered by municipalities, utility providers, and third-party partners, and are built to remove the financial barriers that have historically kept energy upgrades out of reach for many Canadian homeowners.
Energy retrofits are increasingly recognized as a smart long-term investment – one that pays off in lower utility bills, improved living conditions, and increased property value, while putting more money back in the pockets of Canadian families.
Since launching in 2020, CEF-funded retrofit programs have been established in 47 municipalities across eight provinces, with over 16,000 homeowners anticipated to access home energy retrofits as a result. Today’s announcement represents 21 programs of that portfolio, spanning communities from Atlantic Canada to British Columbia.
Sustainable Affordable Housing
Today’s announcement includes $31.6 million for 141 projects through GMF’s Sustainable Affordable Housing initiative (SAH). The SAH initiative launched in 2020 as a six-year, $300-million program to support not-for-profits, co-ops, and municipalities to retrofit existing housing and construct new, energy-efficient homes. To date, the program has supported more than 3,700 units across the country reducing emissions, lowering operating costs and improving housing quality. These projects are empowering rural, urban, and remote communities to address urgent housing shortages, build economic resilience, and enhance the quality of life for families, seniors, and individuals in need.
Regional breakdown of funded projects:
| Region: | CEF Projects | SAH Projects | Funding (Grants & Loans) |
| Atlantic | 2 | 10 | $1,887,637.00 |
| QC | 1 | 35 | $4,213,970.00 |
| ON | 7 | 32 | $36,235,143.00 |
| Prairies | 6 | 30 | $15,201,640.00 |
| Territories | 0 | 1 | $238,400.00 |
| BC | 5 | 33 | $8,501,971.00 |
For more information about the funded projects, see the Community Efficiency Financing (CEF) and Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) backgrounders.
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