Thousands of Ontario homeowners are eligible for a free smart thermostat and here's how to get one
It's going to cost Ontarians more to heat their homes if they use natural gas this year, as prices are expected to rise by about 15 per cent.
Enbridge Gas said that homeowners could have to pay up to $44 more a year depending on where they live.
That’s why, if you’re eligible, you may want to take part in a program that will provide you with free energy upgrades including insulation, draft proofing and a smart thermostat.
“There is no catch here. It is absolutely free and there are no upfront costs. We just really want to get the word out," Corrie Morton, Supervisor of Affordable Housing Energy Conservation Programs with Enbridge Gas, told CTV News Toronto Tuesday.
It’s called the Home Winterproofing Program and since it began in 2012, more than 22,000 customers have taken advantage of the energy-saving upgrades.
Enbridge says that up to 400,000 Ontario homes could still be eligible for the energy-saving freebies.
In order to participate, you have to have an Enbridge Gas account and heat your home with natural gas. Renters also qualify for the program but must get permission from their landlord to take part.
Morton said, if a person qualifies, they may be entitled to free insulation for the walls, attic or basement, as well as free draft proofing to seal air leaks.
They will also receive a free smart thermostat that adjusts automatically to keep you comfortable without wasting money.
Eligibility also depends on your household income level, the number of people in the home and if you receive assistance from a government program.
You must meet one of the following criteria:
Income level (before tax)
- 1 person = $36,578
- 2 people = $51,729
- 3 people = $63,354
- 4 people = $73,157
- 5 people = $81,791
- 6 people = $89,598
- 7+ people = $96,775
Enbridge customers are encouraged to click here to see if they qualify.
When the cold weather arrives, you'll also want to make sure all your windows are closed tight, that your furnace is working and that your furnace filter doesn’t need to be replaced.
The program is fully funded by Enbridge Gas and the company says customers should only go through the Enbridge website. There is a warning on their website to be careful of social media ads offering a home renovation rebate or a $50 rebate on your natural gas bill. The website warns these are not legitimate offers.
The company also warns of individuals going door-to-door who claim to be with Enbridge Gas or who claim to be offering rebates or free services.
"Enbridge Gas does not go door-to-door," Morton said.
Even if you don't qualify for the program, there are many steps you can take yourself to try and lower your heating bill.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
BREAKING Mounties will not be charged in shooting death of B.C. Indigenous man
Three Mounties in British Columbia will not face charges in the killing of a 38-year-old Indigenous man on Vancouver Island in 2021.
Canada's favourite sport to watch is hockey, survey shows
The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs have already delivered a fever level of fan excitement in Canada.
'It's just so hard to let it go': Umar Zameer still haunted by death of Toronto police officer
“It's just so hard to let it go. I mean, everyone is telling me, ‘you have to move on,’ but I know someone is not here [anymore]. So I don't know how I will move on." That’s what Umar Zameer, the man recently acquitted in the death of a Toronto police officer, told CTV News Toronto in a sit-down interview on Tuesday.