Energy Efficiency Participation Initiatives

There are a number of energy initiatives offered to help consumers, decision-makers and industry members, purchase, maintain and implement the most energy efficient technology, vehicles, and homes. Some of the programs are described below.

For more detailed information, visit Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) and the OEE programs or the OEE directory of Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy Programs in Canada - energy efficiency programs and incentives offered by the Canadian government, provincial and territorial governments, major electric and gas utilities and companies, and major municipalities in Canada.

• The RETScreen International Clean Energy Decision Support Centre seeks to build the capacity of planners, decision-makers and industry to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. This objective is achieved by: developing decision-making tools that reduce the cost of pre-feasibility studies; disseminating knowledge to help people make better decisions; and by training people to better analyse the technical and financial viability of possible projects
• EnerGuide is a Natural Resources Canada initiative that helps consumers purchase the most energy-efficient equipment and vehicles, and make their houses as energy-efficient as possible.
  • Equipment: EnerGuide qualified appliances have a label showing how much energy they consume in a year of normal service, while heating and cooling products (gas and oil furnaces and central air conditioners) are given an EnerGuide energy efficiency ratio in the manufacturer's product brochure.
  • Vehicles: All new passenger vehicles, light-duty vans, pickup trucks, and special purpose vehicles are required to have an EnerGuide label displayed in the window. The label shows each car's city and highway fuel consumption ratings and an estimated annual fuel cost for that particular vehicle.
  • Houses: For a fee homeowners can request an EnerGuide for Houses advisor to conduct an energy audit of their home to determine what actions they can take to reduce energy use and save money. You could also qualify for a government home retrofit grant.
  • Energy Savings Calculators: Natural Resources Canada has developed online calculators that you can use to determine what energy savings you can achieve. Just enter your specific home information into the calculator and obtain advice immediately (EnerGuide Heating Cost Calculator; Interactive Energy Cost Calculator for Appliances; How much is your old appliance worth?; Home Energy Analyzer: Self Energy Audit )
• Energy Star: The international ENERGY STAR symbol has been developed to help consumers identify the most energy efficient products on the market. Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency promotes the international ENERGY STAR symbol across Canada.
• R-2000 Home Program: Natural Resources Canada, in partnership with Canada's residential construction industry, developed the R-2000 Initiative more than 20 years ago to improve the level of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility in the new housing sector. Building to the R-2000 Standard will achieve energy-efficiency of approximately 40% above building code requirements and result in your home using at least 30% less energy than conventional new houses.
• Energy Smarts Program: is a partnership between the Clean Air Foundation, Home Depot, 12 leading manufacturers of energy-efficient products, 2 major utilities and the Government of Canada through the One-Tonne Challenge to launch the largest national retail-based energy efficiency campaign in the country. Energy Smarts provides you with discounts and information on ENERGY STAR and related energy efficient and clean air products which improve the performance of your home and help make a demonstrable improvement to our environment. The Clean Air Foundation also sponsors the Keep Cool campaign to retire old air conditioners for new energy efficient models.