Sustainable Affordable Housing: study a one-time deep energy retrofit
Grants for affordable housing providers to assess a major energy upgrade before construction: up to CAD 200,000 for one building or CAD 350,000 for a portfolio of several buildings.
Diese Finanzierungsmöglichkeit ist derzeit auf Englisch beschrieben.
A one-time retrofit study evaluates how to carry out a substantial upgrade of existing affordable rental housing and what it would achieve. It can cover building-condition assessments, calculations of energy use and savings, design and cost estimates, resident engagement and financial analysis. This Sustainable Affordable Housing grant supports the study and preparation stage.
The grant covers up to 80% of eligible costs. Eligible Indigenous communities may receive up to 100%, subject to GMF’s conditions; the same CAD 200,000 single-building or CAD 350,000 portfolio ceiling applies. A climate-risk assessment can be included up to CAD 15,000 per project. Preparing applications to other funding programmes is excluded from work on the project’s financing plan.
Eligibility
Applicants can be Canadian municipal governments, municipal corporations or municipal housing/service providers, non-profit affordable housing providers, non-profit housing cooperatives, or eligible Indigenous communities. Indigenous leads must partner with a Canadian municipality or have a shared-service agreement with one concerning municipal infrastructure, climate change or adaptation. Applicants must own the buildings concerned. Separately, the buildings must not be owned or controlled by a federal, provincial or territorial entity. Check the ownership and funding agreements for any such control. Organizations owned by provincial, territorial or federal bodies, private for-profit companies, shelters and affordable home-ownership programmes are excluded. Every partner in a partnership or shared-ownership structure must be an eligible organization; any private for-profit ownership makes it ineligible.
Transitional housing may qualify if it functions as residential housing rather than emergency accommodation and will remain affordable housing over the long term. Non-housing spaces, including emergency shelter space, must together occupy no more than 30% of total building floor area. Converting an office, church or school is usually treated as new construction and is ineligible; a housing-like building such as a hotel may qualify if most of its interior stays the same. An addition for more homes that is less than 30% of total floor area is likely eligible. Discuss conversions and additions with GMF before applying.
The proposed retrofit must aim for a 50% reduction in annual greenhouse-gas emissions, a 40% reduction in annual energy use, or both. All designs and energy calculations must include building cooling. The guide’s examples of audits and other study elements are optional guidance; tailor the study to the building and the decisions needed for implementation.
Budget for some units to remain at affordable rents, using government or programme affordability criteria, rent based on income, low- or moderate-income limits, or another definition accepted by GMF. Explain the study’s questions, solutions, partners and expected benefits, including how it will assess positive and negative effects on people facing systemic barriers or exclusion. Repeat applicants can apply for a clearly different project, with awards also considering fair distribution of funding. Studies are expected to finish within two years of approval.
How to apply
- Status
- Laufende Antragstellung
- Beschränkungen dieser Antragsrunde
- Year-round submissions. Once the annual allocation is exhausted, approval of new applications is deferred to the next fiscal year, beginning 1 April.
Applications are accepted year-round. Once the annual funding allocation is exhausted, new applications are deferred for approval to the next fiscal year, beginning 1 April. Create a profile in FCM’s funding portal, complete the pre-application and, if invited, submit the full application. Only the lead organization’s authorized application contact can submit; consultants cannot sign or submit for the applicant. An invitation does not guarantee an award.
Include FCM’s Excel project workbook for the budget and workplan, founding and ownership/partnership documents, organizational charts and team résumés. Identify all funding sources and provide proof for those confirmed; all must be confirmed before the first payment. Non-municipal applicants, including municipal corporations, need a municipal support letter signed by the mayor or chief administrative officer and an informed municipal contact. Indigenous applicants must provide the applicable municipal council partnership resolution or shared-service agreement.
Under the July 2026 guide, Quebec municipalities and municipal corporations send the pre-application to the ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation (MAMH), which checks compliance with Quebec policies and issues its favourable decision before GMF proceeds. Quebec non-profits may also need provincial authorization before entering a funding agreement.
Project costs must be incurred after GMF receives the full application. The exception is eligible full-application preparation costs up to CAD 5,000 incurred within the preceding 90 days; other earlier research or engagement costs do not qualify. Keep invoices, receipts and supporting records for seven years after FCM’s final payment. Construction, asset purchases and donated goods or services are ineligible; technical studies, audits and feasibility studies already receiving or due to receive Government of Canada grants or contributions are also excluded by the cost table.
For payment, provide the final study report and an updated workbook with expense claim and confirmed funding. A final report covers environmental, social and economic results. Progress reports apply when there are multiple payments or GMF requests them. Budget time for reporting; GMF can reduce or remove funding if work departs from the approved scope.