How CMHC clients can benefit from energy efficient homes

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[Visual: A busy highway with a traffic jam. Smoke billows from industrial chimneys. Part of a glacier breaks off and falls into the water. A hot desert plain heated by the sun. Weather radar tracks a hurricane. Trees bend in heavy rainfall and strong winds. Water fills the streets and surrounds the houses in a residential neighbourhood.]

Joelle Hamilton: We all see the effects of climate change around us every day. We know that every choice we make has an impact. And that’s especially true in the housing sector.

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[Visual: A woman with long, dark hair sits at a desk in front of a blue background. She wears a delicate necklace and a yellow sleeveless blouse. A tablet, a keyboard, a mouse and a mug sit on the desktop. The words “BUY, BUILD, RENOVATE GREEN” flash across the background.]

Joelle: That’s why we want to make it easier for more CMHC mortgage loan insurance clients to buy, build or renovate green — by making it simpler for clients to choose the Eco product that works for them.

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[Visual: A montage of clips: newly built residential homes during the day, vehicles driving through a city intersection at night, newly built condominium buildings during the day and a cityscape with a tall building under construction at sunset.]

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Joelle: Sustainability is a priority for Canadian homeowners.

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[Visual: Joelle sits at the desk. A text box that reads, “Joelle Hamilton, Communications & Marketing, CMHC” appears in the lower left corner.]

Joelle: We saw that reflected in our most recent Mortgage Consumer Survey, where more than half of homebuyers talked about the importance of buying an energy-efficient home or making energy-efficient renovations.

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[Visual: Slide with a symbol formed by the outline of a house with a pair of leaves above text that reads, “61% said that an energy-efficient home was an important factor in their home purchasing decision (vs. 57% in 2024).”]

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[Visual: Slide with a symbol formed by outlines of a hammer and a screwdriver crossed at the handles above text that reads, “51% said that a home adapted or prepared to face the impact of climate change was an important factor in their home purchasing decision (vs. 44% in 2024).”]

Joelle: Our Eco Plus product will now focus only on newly built, energy-efficient homes.

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[Visual: A man wearing a hard hat, safety glasses and a reflective vest works in a partially constructed house. Protective gloves, a blueprint, a measuring tape, a plank, a laptop, a cell phone and a saw cover a worktable.]

Joelle: For renovations, Eco Improvement is still available. So, we still have two ways for eligible homeowners with a sustainable home to receive a 25% partial refund on their CMHC mortgage loan insurance.

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[Visual: Joelle sits at the desk.]

Joelle: Today we’re joined by Rémy St-Pierre, who will walk us through both options.

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[Visual: Slide with text that reads, “What is the Eco Plus product?”]

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Joelle: Let’s start with the Eco Plus product.

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[Visual: A man with short brown hair and a short greying beard sits in a bright office. He wears glasses and a blue short-sleeve shirt. A text box that reads, “Rémy St-Pierre, Specialist, Operational Policy Analysis, CMHC” appears and disappears.]

[Speaker: Rémy St-Pierre, Specialist, Operational Policy Analysis, CMHC]

Rémy St-Pierre: With the Eco Plus product, homeowners who buy a newly built home that is energy efficient and have CMHC mortgage loan insurance can qualify for a 25% refund on their premium.

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[Visual: Slide with text that reads, “What qualifies as an energy-efficient home?”]
[Speaker: Joelle Hamilton, Communications & Marketing, CMHC]

Joelle: You’re probably wondering what qualifies as an energy-efficient home. Don’t worry. We’re getting into that now!

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[Visual: Rémy sits in the office.]

Rémy: There are two ways that a home can qualify. It can have an energy efficiency certification or be able to demonstrate an above-average standard in reduction of energy consumption compared to a typical new home built to code.

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[Visual: A man wearing work overalls installs weather stripping in a window frame. Later, a woman shuts and locks the window, and then adjusts a thermostat mounted on a wall from 75 to 70 degrees. Two men install solar panels on the roof of a house in a residential neighbourhood.]

Rémy: Partners might notice that we’ve removed greenhouse gas thresholds from our eligibility criteria. We did this because energy efficiency standards are always improving. And we want to make sure we’re aligned with the most progressive measures of energy efficiency to help reduce the housing sector’s impact on the environment.

00:02:13

[Visual: Slide with text that reads, “What about homeowners who want to make green renovations?”]

Joelle: Let’s say you love your home — the neighbourhood, the schools, the neighbours — but you know it could be a lot more energy efficient.

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[Visual: Insulated windows look onto a city. A man adjusts a wall-mounted thermostat. Houses reflect on solar panels covering a roof. A floor vent sits embedded in a wood floor. Text reads, “Are there options for homeowners who want to stay put but still make these kinds of energy-efficient upgrades? YES.”]

Joelle: Maybe your windows are drafty, your heating bills are climbing or you’ve been thinking about solar panels. The question is: are there options for homeowners who want to stay put but still make these kinds of energy-efficient upgrades? The good news is — yes, there are.

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[Visual: A symbol formed by the outline of a house with a pair of leaves above text that reads, “CMHC Eco Programs.” A symbol formed by the outline of a house with a checkmark above text that reads, “Eco Plus to buy or build an energy-efficient home.” A symbol formed by outlines of a hammer and a screwdriver crossed at the handles above text that reads, “Eco Improvement for renovations.”]
Rémy: Homeowners who make energy-efficient improvements might be able to use CMHC’s Eco Improvement for a 25% partial refund on their mortgage loan insurance premium.

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[Visual: Slide with text that reads, “What energy efficiency improvements are eligible for Eco Improvement?” Followed by slide with text that reads, “Qualifying for Eco Improvement. The borrower must: have CMHC mortgage loan insurance, spend a minimum of $20,000 in energy efficient renovations, submit their refund request within two years of closing on their mortgage.”]

Rémy: In order to qualify, the borrower must have CMHC mortgage loan insurance, spend a minimum of $20,000 and submit their refund request within two years of closing on their mortgage.

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[Visual: CMHC web page for “CMHC’s Eco Products.” The page scrolls down and a mouse clicks hyperlinked text that reads, “For renovations, apply for Eco Improvement.”]

Rémy: If you take a look at our website, you can see a full list of eligible renovations.

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[Visual: CMHC web page for “CMHC’s Eco Improvement.” The mouse scrolls down to a text box titled, “Am I Eligible?” The mouse highlights segments of text that read, “Building envelope, Mechanical Systems, Renewable Energy Systems.”]

Rémy:  These renovations fall under three categories: building envelope, mechanical systems and renewable energy systems.

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[Visual: In animation, purple dots appear on parts of a three-storey house: the roof, the air conditioner, the window, the door, the thermometer, the water heater, the hose tap and a hanging light fixture.]

Rémy: For example, if you replace home insulation or windows and doors, that would be an improvement to the building’s envelope.

03:26

[Visual: Joelle sits at the desk.]

Joelle: Eco Plus and Eco Improvement are aligned with CMHC’s commitment to fight climate change and support the Government of Canada’s climate strategy by encouraging low-carbon and energy-efficient housing choices in new construction and existing homes.

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[Visual: A man installs insulation on the underside of a roof. Insulation expands in a gap between a wall and a window frame. White clouds and blue sky reflect on the windows of a modern house.]

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[Visual: A partially constructed building sits on a large dirt lot. Inside, a man holding a notebook talks and gestures while a woman holding documents smiles and watches his gestures. Elsewhere, a man wearing protective gloves works on the frame. In another house, a man wearing a hard hat and safety goggles installs windows.]

Joelle: We’ve tried to simplify the application process, to make it easier for Canadians to decide which product is right for them. Remember, Eco Plus is dedicated to newly built homes, while Eco Improvement is for renovations.

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[Visual: Joelle sits at the desk.]

Joelle: Small changes can have a big impact on the environment. Together, we can create a more sustainable future.

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