The federal government released its 2021 budget on April 19. Here are some highlights of special interest to the window and door industry.
Home retrofits
Budget 2021 proposes to provide $4.4 billion on a cash basis ($778.7 million on an accrual basis over five years with $414.1 million in future years) to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to help homeowners complete deep home retrofits through interest-free loans worth up to $40,000. Loans would be available to homeowners and landlords who undertake retrofits identified through an authorized EnerGuide energy assessment. In combination with available grants announced in the Fall Economic Statement, this would help eligible participants make deeper, more costly retrofits that have the biggest impact in reducing a home’s environmental footprint and energy bills. This program will also include a dedicated stream of funding to support low-income homeowners and rental properties serving low-income renters including cooperatives and not-for-profit owned housing. The program would be available by summer 2021. It would be easily accessible through straightforward online tools, and is expected to help build Canadian supply chains for energy efficient products. It is estimated that more than 200,000 households would take advantage of this opportunity.