Home
/
Home Upgrades Program

Home Upgrades Program

The Home Upgrades Program is currently fully subscribed

Check the news release of the one-year anniversary of the program in Edmonton

Home Upgrades Program

To help make energy costs more affordable for lower-income households, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation has partnered with Kambo Energy Group to offer the Home Upgrades Program. The program is supported by a coalition of funders, including Alberta Ecotrust's Climate Innovation Fund, the City of Edmonton, the City of Calgary, City of Canmore, Calgary Foundation, McConnell Foundation, ENMAX, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Suncor Energy Foundation, and the Town of Canmore.

The program aims to help make energy costs more affordable for households experiencing energy poverty in Calgary, Edmonton, and other Albertan communities.

The Home Upgrades Program offers free energy efficiency education and home upgrades to qualified families living in Calgary, Edmonton, and Canmore. We identify and install home upgrades based on each household’s unique needs, such as new windows, furnaces, and insulation. The program is designed to reduce energy costs and improve the comfort, safety, and efficiency of Albertans' homes.

Visit the Home Upgrades Program Website to Learn More

Children play in front of window with caregiver

What the cities are saying...

“Supporting Calgarians impacted by energy poverty is a key action identified in our Climate Implementation Plan. The Home Upgrades Program will make a tangible difference in the lives of underserved Calgarians while supporting Calgary as a growing city with sustainable and equitable communities."
Carolyn Bowen, Director, Climate & Environment, City of Calgary
"Edmonton is proud to support community-based initiatives that help citizens take an active role in combating climate change and supporting energy transitions through programs like this one. Through Edmonton’s Energy Transition Strategy, our goal is to alleviate energy poverty by making homes more energy efficient and benefiting those who need it the most. This improves the quality of life for program participants while helping us meet our climate goals."
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, City of Edmonton
“Supporting Calgarians impacted by energy poverty is a key action identified in our Climate Implementation Plan. The Home Upgrades Program will make a tangible difference in the lives of underserved Calgarians while supporting Calgary as a growing city with sustainable and equitable communities."
Carolyn Bowen, Director, Climate & Environment, City of Calgary
"Edmonton is proud to support community-based initiatives that help citizens take an active role in combating climate change and supporting energy transitions through programs like this one. Through Edmonton’s Energy Transition Strategy, our goal is to alleviate energy poverty by making homes more energy efficient and benefiting those who need it the most. This improves the quality of life for program participants while helping us meet our climate goals."
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, City of Edmonton

Addressing Energy Poverty in Alberta

Energy poverty refers to the experience of households or communities that struggle to afford to heat and power their homes.

In Canada, we consider families spending double the national average of the percentage of their income on energy bills to be in energy poverty.

The cost of these bills takes up a larger percentage of the income for these families resulting in less money for food, clothing and other essentials.

That is about 64,000 families in Calgary and 50,000 in Edmonton.

Typically, energy-poor households live in homes that are significantly lower in energy efficiency 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.

Read the News Release

Our approach

Our program engagement approach will build off of Kambo Energy Group’s long-standing and successful program, Empower Me.

The Home Upgrades Program tackles energy affordability through home upgrades that improve the efficiency, comfort, and safety of homes and reduces emissions. The program identifies and installs home upgrades based on each household’s unique needs, these may include upgrades such as furnaces, air sealing, and insulation.

Building on previous work, best practice research, and program results, we will develop recommendations and program design principles for Alberta’s first province-wide program that is scalable and sustainable.

Our goal is also to build awareness through communications and research of the need in Alberta with local, provincial, and federal governments.

Home Upgrades Program