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Bucks for Bluenosers: Government Rebates for Nova Scotia Homeowners

Nova Scotians have many blessings: Peggy's Cove, Celtic music, and big men wearing small kilts. But did you know that homeowners in the province are also able to get government grants to make home improvements?

Homeowners in Nova Scotia can get more than $35,000 in government grants and rebates (and check out the additional rebates at the end of this article).

  1. Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program ($24,000)
The RRAP (Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program) was set up by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to encourage homeowners to create "secondary suites" in their homes, and rent them out to low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

The $24,000 is a forgivable loan - as long as the program requirements are being met (i.e. you're renting to a low-income senior or person with a disability) you don't have to pay back the loan. And at the end of 15 years, you can rent to whoever you want.

  1. GST/HST New Housing Rebate (1.5% of GST/HST)
Don't let the name of this one fool you - this is not just for new-home builders. The New Housing rebate is meant to defray part of the GST/HST paid on a new house OR substantially renovating an existing house.

Assuming you're doing $100,000 worth of renovations to your home, you would get back $1,500 through this rebate.

Nova Scotians have an especially sweet deal with this rebate. In all other provinces, homeowners can only get this rebate if the value of their home is below $450,000- but this doesn't apply to Nova Scotians.

  1. Nova Scotia Residential/Commercial Energy Conversion Program ($2,000)
This is a pretty straightforward program: convert your furnace and water heater to natural gas, and get a $2,000 rebate.
  1. Nova Scotia EnerGuide for Houses Program ($1,500)
With this program, homeowners can get up to $1,500 in government rebates when they make energy-saving improvements to their home. Examples of improvements include improving the insulation in your home, installing energy-efficient windows, and replacing your old furnace.
  1. Genworth Financial Energy-Efficient Housing Program or CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance Refund (10% of mortgage insurance premium)
Canada's two main mortgage insurance outfits (Genworth Financial, and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation), will take 10% off your mortgage insurance premium if you buy an energy efficient home, or do energy-saving improvements to your current home.

Assuming you have a $400,000 mortgage on your home, you could get back $1,100.

  1. ecoENERGY Retrofit Grant ($5,000)
The federal government will give you rebates for doing energy-saving renovations to your home, up to a maximum of $5,000. The amount you get back depends on what kinds of home improvements you make. Examples of renovations that pay include installing an energy-efficient furnace, installing better insulation, and sealing drafts in your windows and doors.

Show Me the Green - 3 Steps to $35,100

Now that you know about these grants, what do you do next? Follow the steps below to quickly and easily claim your rebates:
  1. Find out how to apply for the seven grants and rebates
ShowMeTheGreen.ca has a brief description and simple steps to follow to apply for each of the grants and rebates mentioned in this article. Click on the links to each rebate above (but read steps 2 and 3 first!)
  1. Save your favourites
When you're on the Description page for each grant and rebate, click on the little "Add to Favorites" button that's next to the rebate title. This will save a copy of the page for you to get later.

When you're finished saving all of the rebates, click on "Show Favorites". You'll be asked if you want to print all of the rebates, or save them to your computer.

  1. Follow the steps
Each rebate includes the steps you need to take to submit your application to each rebate program.

That's it! Pick and choose from this list of grants and rebates, or be ambitious and go for them all.

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16 Reviews for “Bucks for Bluenosers: Government Rebates for Nova Scotia Homeowners”

  1. christena webster Says:
    January 11th, 2008 at 7:17 pm

    hi, my husband and i just bought our first home one year ago. unfortunetly we need a new septic system and was wondering if there is anything the government can do to help us. we are expecting our first child together in march so we don’t have the funds to go it alone. please email me any information you have.

    thank you for your time

    christena webster

  2. Mark Says:
    January 12th, 2008 at 11:41 pm

    Hi Christena,

    You should look into the Nova Scotia Environmental Home Assessment Program. You can receive a grant of up to $3,000 from the Nova Scotia provincial government for repairs to your septic system.

    Find information on that grant here.

    Hope that helps,

    Mark
    Editor, ShowMeTheGreen.ca

  3. cynthia fromstein Says:
    March 3rd, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    Hello Mark , My old fram house in Wallace N.S. has a rubble sand stone basement. The back wall has been replaced with a new sill and cement wall. Now the front wall is caving and must be replaced this summer, is there a grant to help me ..my house is 150 years old. Thank you , Cynthia Fromstein

  4. Mark Says:
    March 4th, 2008 at 3:45 pm

    Hello Cynthia,

    If you renovate your basement to replace the wall AND make it more energy efficient (by, for example, putting in insulation), you might be able to get a government grant.

    I would look into the following grant programs:

    ecoENERGY Home Retrofit program
    Nova Scotia Energuide for Houses Program
    Nova Scotia EnerGuide for Houses Assistance Program for Low- to Modest-Income Households

    Hope that helps,

    Mark
    Editor, ShowMeTheGreen.ca

  5. Elsa Barry Says:
    April 25th, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    Hi
    I am a seperated mom, (husband is a deadbeat)
    meantime my furnace is an original 1946 to the house, I remodified it in 93 or 94 and it was 97% efficiant but I’m affaid it has seen better days and do not think it will last much longer. I have a hole in the eves where birds and bats like to reside and cold air blows through and goes under my bathtub, and out of a cubby hole freezing the bathroom, I’m surprized the pipes in there did not freeze,however this blows a cold breeze down stairs,and makes for cold toilet time, the two porches are so cold that the dog can’t stand it in there and the front one got so cold that the heater exploded a couple of winters ago (gravity fed furnace, water) also windows need replaceing some panes are broke and they leak air around them and most have mildew that I cannot get rid of and some I cannot even open. Some electrical needs replacing and some of the water pipes are also 1946 and getting thick with sludge and rust and junk.
    Right now I am mortaged and paying all bills myself oil and electric are through the roof (literally) so can I get some help please, my MLA is Richard Hurlburt if that matters at all.
    Thanks for reading, looking forward to your reply

  6. Mark Says:
    April 30th, 2008 at 10:09 am

    Hi Elsa,

    Are there specific renovations to your home that you are thinking about doing? Many government rebate/grant programs are for specific energy-efficient improvements to a home (such as replacing a furnace).

    If you could let us know what you plan to do, we can try to give you some advice.

    Mark MacDonald
    Editor, ShowMeTheGreen.ca

  7. Jennifer Says:
    February 16th, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    I have a friend who is unemployed in Ste Croix NS who is applying for the RRAssistant Program. She wants to pay herself as contractor for the repairs to be done on the suite even though she is not a certified contractor. Can she do this? If so, what accountability has to be maintained/submitted for the work she hopes to do? She is hoping her mother will live there. If her mother dies before the 15 year limit to re-rent is up, are there special circumstances where she can rent it out again? (She has a B&B operation in the rest of the house.)
    Thanks!

  8. JIM D Says:
    February 18th, 2009 at 4:29 pm

    IF WE WANTED TO REPLACE OUR ELECTRICAL PANEL(100AMP WITH FUSES TO 100AMP WITH BREAKERS) IS THERE A PROGRAM FOR THIS..WITH A COMBINED INCOME OF 31500

  9. Lando Dominix Says:
    February 28th, 2009 at 9:41 am

    Hi,

    I just bought a house that is approximately 100 years old in May of 2008. I was wondering if there are any Government Grants out there that can help me with a new roof and maybe some new windows. This house is in immaculate condition as I have done enourmous amount sof repairs to it since I bought it. I have gyprocked it throughout and added new hardwood flooring doenstairs and carpeted the whole upstairs. Would like to have a couple of more things, that I have previously mentioned, done to it also so that it will last me another 50 years at least. Could you please direct me into the right direction to apply for these grants. This is the first home I have ever owned and I am 59 years of age.

    Thank you

  10. Patsy Jefferson Says:
    April 21st, 2009 at 7:01 am

    I have an 86 year old aunt with modest income who recently had to re-shingle her roof. Is there a grant program that will help her with the cost? Patsy.

  11. Marsha M. Says:
    May 25th, 2009 at 1:16 pm

    Hi,

    I heard there were grants available to re-roof your house. If so, where can I find the information?

    Thanks,

    Marsha M.

  12. Wayne Reece Says:
    June 9th, 2009 at 9:04 am

    I have a 1976 mini home.I have the permit to put a new pitched roof on it,with added insulation up to R20. I also plan to put new windows doors and siding with strafoam insulation. Grants would be a great help, am I eligible for them and if so how do I go about applying and getting them

    thanks Wayne

  13. Eric Says:
    June 19th, 2009 at 6:59 pm

    A 70 year old friend need to re shingle her roof and if there are grants available or rebate programme pls advise Thanks Eric

  14. Jason Peters Says:
    April 17th, 2010 at 6:03 pm

    what grants are available to improve the heating of a modest home in rural Nova Scotia or to make it more efficient family home with two small children(3 and under1)? Received a grant to put new sills last summer 2009, house has no basement.Plan to raise my young family there.

  15. peter macdonald Says:
    July 30th, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    i live in an older home , 1945, built by my father, i need insulation, a new roof, 6 new windows, my wife is handicapped and can not make it up the stairs so i,d like to convert the back porch area to a full bath , only problem is the money is needed up front which is impossible for us, is there any grants that would pay for this , if not we have to sell our home after being born and brought up in it, any info on this would be greatly appreciated

  16. peter macdonald Says:
    July 30th, 2010 at 3:26 pm

    also we need a new furnace , friends tell us to claim bankrupcy and walk away, this is our home , i,ve worked since i was 16, raised 4 children on one income and this is how the so called golden years end, still struggling to make ends meet, can anyone give us some light at the end of this dark tunnel

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