If you searched for federal solar money and landed on a page that talks about a $5,000 grant and a $40,000 loan as if both were open, you are probably reading something written a few years ago. This article explains what those two federal offers were, what became of them, and how to avoid planning a purchase around money that no longer exists.
The grant: closed in early 2024
The Canada Greener Homes Grant paid homeowners for energy upgrades after an eligible home evaluation. Solar photovoltaic panels qualified for up to $5,000 (all figures here are in CAD). Many households used it for insulation, windows and heat pumps as well.
The grant stopped accepting new applicants in early 2024. If you completed an evaluation and applied before the cut-off, your file followed its own path, but nobody starting from scratch today can get in. If an installer tells you that a federal grant will “knock thousands off” your quote, ask which programme, and ask for the link to the official page.
The loan: reportedly ended on 1 October 2025
The Canada Greener Homes Loan offered interest-free financing, up to $40,000 over 10 years, for the same kinds of upgrades. According to Natural Resources Canada, as reported by several sources, it stopped taking new applications on 1 October 2025. At the time of writing we know of no replacement federal loan for residential solar.
Because details can shift, treat this as a pointer rather than a final word. The official Natural Resources Canada and Government of Canada sites are the places to confirm what is open this week.
What this means for your budget
Many articles, calculators and quotes written in 2022 and 2023 assumed the grant was available. If you are comparing prices or reading a payback estimate, check whether it subtracts $5,000 for a grant that is gone. A system that paid back in nine years on paper may take noticeably longer once that line is removed. Our guide to solar costs and payback shows how to rerun the numbers yourself.
| Old assumption | Safer assumption today |
|---|---|
| Federal grant of up to $5,000 | None, unless a current programme says otherwise |
| Interest-free federal loan | Ordinary financing or a provincial offer |
| One national programme | Provincial, utility or municipal programmes |
| Rebate amount is fixed | Amounts and deadlines change often |
Where support exists now
Most help today is provincial or tied to your utility. In 2026, for example, Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings programme and a BC Hydro solar rebate were reported to be active. We cannot promise those terms will still apply when you read this. Programmes can fill their budgets, change eligibility or close without much notice.
A few habits help:
- Look at your provincial energy ministry and your electric utility first, then your municipality.
- Note whether a rebate needs pre-approval. Some are lost if the work starts before you apply.
- Keep copies of invoices, permits and the commissioning paperwork.
- Ask whether a rebate can be combined with another one.
Our step-by-step guide on how to check current incentives walks through this search in the order that saves the most time. You can also browse everything we have gathered under the incentives and financing hub.
How to read old advice
When you find a solar article or video, three quick tests tell you whether it is out of date.
First, look at the publication date. Anything from 2023 or earlier probably describes the federal grant as open. Second, look for the phrase “apply through the EnerGuide evaluation”, which belonged to the old process. Third, check whether the article names a deadline and whether that deadline has passed.
If a page fails these tests, the rest of its advice may still be fine, including how to size a system or what a roof needs, but the money section should be thrown out. Rebuild it from current official sources.
Financing without the federal loan
Without the interest-free loan, the question becomes how to cover a system that commonly costs somewhere in the mid-teens to high-twenties of thousands of dollars before incentives. Cash, a home equity line, a personal loan, installer financing and some green mortgage products all exist, each with trade-offs. We compare them in solar financing options in Canada. If you are weighing whether a loan is worth the interest, our page on the payback period shows how borrowing stretches the timeline.
A short checklist before you sign
- Ask the installer to name every incentive in the quote and its source.
- Confirm that the programme is open today, not just that it existed last year.
- Get the net price in writing, with and without any rebate, so you can see what happens if the rebate falls through.
- Check that the installer’s quote does not lean on a federal grant that has closed.
Solar can still make financial sense in Canada without a federal grant, particularly where electricity rates are higher or net metering is generous. It just needs to stand on its own numbers. If the project only works with a rebate you are not sure you will receive, wait and verify.
Quick answers
Can I still apply for the Canada Greener Homes Grant for solar panels?
No. The grant closed to new applicants in early 2024. If a website says otherwise, check its date and confirm with Natural Resources Canada.
Is the Canada Greener Homes Loan still available in 2026?
Natural Resources Canada reportedly stopped accepting new loan applications on 1 October 2025. Confirm the current status on the federal government site before you plan around it.
Where do I look for solar rebates now?
Start with your provincial government, your electric utility and your municipality. Programmes change often, so verify the current terms and deadlines.
Where to verify
Rules and prices change. Confirm current details with the official bodies below.