If you make your house more energy-efficient, the government will pay you up to $5,000.

The Canadian government is introducing a new initiative today that will provide Canadians with up to $5,000 in subsidies to help them pay for energy-saving home improvements. The Canada Greener Homes Grants program, worth $2.6 billion over seven years, was launched today by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan to help households update heaters, install solar panels, and replace windows and doors.

Homeowners will be eligible for up to $5,000 in grants to make energy-efficient retrofits to their primary residences, as well as up to $600 in grants to aid with the cost of home energy analyses. The grants, according to Trudeau, will assist 700,000 homeowners in lowering their energy expenditures and keeping their homes warmer in the winter.

Starting today, people from all over the country can apply online (the government says the landing page for applications was down earlier today due to high demand). An energy assessment by a trained expert is the first step in the application process. This adviser pays a visit to the applicant's house to assess which energy-saving improvements are eligible for payment.

If the homeowner decides to proceed, the retrofits will be carried out by a licensed contractor. The homeowner would be compensated after an examination of the completed renovation. Private residences and buildings are expected to be one of the main sources of carbon emissions in Canada, accounting for around 18% of total emissions. The federal government stated last week that it will spend up to $10 million to hire, train, and supervise 2,000 individuals to perform energy audits.

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