Energy-efficient Housing Made More Affordable with Mortgage Loan Insurance

Did you know that CMHC offers a premium refund of up to 25% on the CMHC mortgage loan insurance premium when you buy or build an energy-efficient home, or you buy an existing home and make energy-saving renovations?

Help the planet, help your wallet!

More than 16% of the energy consumed in Canada is used to run our homes. Energy-efficient homes can be linked to increased comfort and healthier living while improving energy efficiency reduces greenhouse gas emissions and lowers the cost of owning and maintaining your home. You could be eligible for a premium refund of either 15% or 25% depending on the level of energy efficiency achieved by your home.

How do I know if my home is eligible for CMHC green home?

When you buy or build a home:
Most new homes built under a CMHC-eligible energy-efficient building standard automatically qualify for a premium refund. For all other homes, eligibility will be assessed using the NRCan EnerGuide Rating System (ERS), either the 0 – 100 scale or the gigajoule scale.

When you buy a condo:
Condominium units in high rise buildings built to the LEED Canada New Construction standard (Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum) automatically qualify for a 15% premium refund. Or the building is designed to be either 20% or 40% more energy-efficient than compliance with the applicable building code.

When you buy and renovate your home:
To qualify, your home must be assessed by a Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) qualified energy advisor before and after the energy efficiency improvements are made. The partial premium refund is based on the level of energy efficiency achieved.

For more details on the program, including a list of eligible building standards and specifics on the required EnerGuide rating, check out CMHC’s website at www.cmhc.ca/greenhome. You can also fill out CMHC’s simple online Energy-Efficient Premium Refund Form to find out if you qualify for CMHC Green Home.

Note:

Applications must be submitted within 24 months of the closing date of the mortgage and the supporting energy efficiency documentation must be no more than five years old. NRCan is introducing updates to the EnerGuide rating scale. During the transition period, provinces and territories will continue to use the 0 – 100 scale until they are ready to adopt the new gigajoules per year scale.

Energy-efficient Housing Made More Affordable with Mortgage Loan Insurance

The information is provided by CMHC for general illustrative purposes only, and does not take into account the specific objectives, circumstances and individual needs of the reader. It does not provide advice, and should not be relied upon in that regard. The information is believed to be reliable, but its accuracy, completeness and currency cannot be guaranteed. Neither CMHC and its employees nor any other party identified in this Article (Lender, Broker, etc.) assumes any liability of any kind in connection with the information provided. CMHC stakeholders are permitted to distribute the materials at their expense. The above mentioned stakeholder organization is responsible for the distribution of this document.