Home Upgrades Program
This initiative aims to make energy costs more affordable for households experiencing energy poverty in Calgary, Edmonton and other Alberta communities.
About
Energy poverty refers to the experience of households or communities that struggle to afford to heat and power their homes.
In Canada, families spending more than six percent of their after-tax income on energy bills are considered to be in energy poverty. That is about 260,000 Alberta households. These families are forced to spend less money on food, clothing and other essentials.
Typically, energy-poor households live in homes that are significantly less energy-efficient than average homes. This is due to older appliances and poor building conditions. Properly selected energy efficiency measures have proven to be the most cost-effective and efficient solution to reduce energy bills and relieve energy poverty.
Designed for efficiency
To assist with affordability and improve the comfort, safety, and efficiency of lower-income households in Alberta, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation partnered with Kambo Energy Group to offer the Home Upgrades Program.
From 2023 to early 2025, the Home Upgrades Program offered free energy-efficiency education and home upgrades to income-qualified families living in Calgary, Edmonton, Canmore and St. Albert. The program identified and installed home upgrades based on each household’s unique needs, including upgrades such as high-efficiency furnaces, air sealing and insulation.
To inform future energy poverty programming in Alberta, we will share a public report on our program results and recommendations in early 2026.
The City of Calgary is currently offering a Calgary Home Upgrades Program. Calgary homeowners and renters can apply for support from the program, with three program streams available.
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What the cities are saying
Read more stories from our participants
Learn more about Albertans who have benefited from the Home Upgrades Program.
Thank You to Our Program Partners and Contributors
