The Government of Canada Announces Calls for Applications for Green Building Retrofits
February 9, 2023
On February 9th, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, launched the call for applications for two new initiatives to accelerate building retrofits: the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI) and the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program (GNPP).
Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative
The $200-million DRAI will invest in projects that support the development of deep retrofits in commercial, institutional or mid- or high-rise multi-unit residential buildings across Canada.
Selected projects will establish and collect deep retrofit projects, guide building owners in the process of developing and implementing specific retrofit projects, identify available funding and financing for specific deep retrofit projects, and conduct capacity building activities, such as developing or implementing new, standardized or replicable methods for deep retrofits.
This call for applications is open to organizations including nonprofits, private firms, civil society, municipalities, provinces and territories, and Indigenous organizations.
This DRAI call for applications will remain open until April 28, 2023.
Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program
The $35.5-million GNPP will support up to six communities across Canada in developing integrated approaches to deep energy retrofits such as upgrading building walls and insulation or upgrading space heating equipment.
The first phase of the program will support regional market development teams (MDTs) in preparing scalable deep energy retrofit plans for their communities. MDTs can convene and coordinate supply-side and demand-side actors to broker aggregated deep energy retrofit projects, find solutions to regional barriers, and drive market transformation.
This call for proposals is open to organizations including nonprofits, private firms, and Indigenous organizations. Successful applicants could receive contributions of up to $1 million per project.
The call for proposals under Phase Two of the program is expected to launch by the summer of 2023. This will support demonstration projects in up to six communities, targeting low-rise housing (at least 100 units). These proposals will explore innovative and cost-effective pathways for more affordable and efficient building renovations.
The GNPP’s call for proposals will remain open until April 5, 2023.
