Parliamentary Secretary Louis highlights new measures to lower energy costs and reduce emissions in Kitchener--Conestoga

WOOLWICH, ON, Oct. 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- As winter approaches, our government is helping make life more affordable for Canadians.

Heating is one of the biggest expenses for Canadians during the winter months, and too often that money goes to the most expensive and least efficient ways to heat a home. Over seven million households in Canada still heat their homes with oil, propane, diesel, electric baseboards, or outdated furnaces. Our government is laser-focused on giving Canadians options to lower their energy costs. That's why, as part of our National Electricity Strategy, we committed to help one million Canadian households make retrofits.

Today, Tim Louis, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy (Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy), highlighted Canada's new National Heat Pump Rebate.

Eligible families in the Kitchener-Conestoga region will be able to use the rebate to help reduce the upfront cost of installing a heat pump, making this energy-efficient technology more accessible. By helping grow demand for heat pump installations, the National Heat Pump Rebate will support HVAC contractors, electricians and other skilled trades across the Kitchener-Conestoga region and Canada, while encouraging continued training and upskilling in the sector.

Last week, Prime Minister Carney announced a landmark $2 billion investment over eight years to help Canadians reduce energy costs, improve home energy efficiency, and strengthen Canada's economic competitiveness. The initiative will support up to one million home retrofits across the country, making homes and buildings more comfortable, affordable, and sustainable.

As part of this investment, the Government of Canada will introduce a new National Heat Pump Rebate to help up to 820,000 households switch to more efficient electric heat pumps.

The Government is also working with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Canada Infrastructure Bank to help apartment building owners retrofit 280,000 units over the next eight years through three complementary measures:

• Providing affordable financing for retrofits: Through its Multi-Unit Mortgage Loan Insurance Select program, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation will help retrofit up to 250,000 additional units.
• Unlocking investment in apartment buildings: Through its Building Retrofits Initiative, the Canada Infrastructure Bank will support apartment and multi-unit residential building retrofits covering at least 30,000 units.
• Supporting building owners throughout the retrofit process: The Government is renewing the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative, which provides support to building owners at every stage of the retrofit journey.

Combined, these measures will support one million home retrofits and reduce Canada's emissions by over 25 megatonnes--the equivalent of taking nearly eight and a half million cars off Canadian roads for one year.

Quotes

"Building a stronger Canada means making life more affordable for Canadians while cutting emissions and building a cleaner, more resilient economy. When we help families and homeowners make their homes more energy efficient, they use less energy, save more on their bills, and reduce the emissions that drive climate change. By taking full advantage of Canada's clean electricity advantage, we can lower costs, cut pollution, and create a stronger economy for Canadians today and for generations to come."
– The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature

"Investing in energy efficiency programs, like the Heat Pump Rebate, creates opportunities for local businesses and strengthens Canada's clean technology sector. It supports work across construction, skilled trades, engineering, manufacturing and energy management. By making cleaner, more affordable, home heating accessible to all households, we are contributing to a greener, stronger, more prosperous Canada."
– Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga and Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy (Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy)

Quick facts

• The National Heat Pump Rebate program will be available through an online portal, with no energy audits before or after installation. Approvals will be available within 24 hours, making it easier to get a replacement installed quickly when a system breaks without warning, which accounts for around 80% of replacements each year.
• In May 2026, the Prime Minister launched Powering Canada Strong, Canada's new national electricity strategy, which aims to double the capacity of Canada's electricity grid by 2050 and supply clean, reliable, and affordable power across the country. The strategy also aims to connect Canada's electricity grids, build the workforce needed for the electricity system of the future, and increase domestic production of the technologies and components needed to power it.
• The strategy is expected to deliver up to $15 billion in total energy savings by 2050 and lower total energy costs for seven in 10 Canadian households.

Related products

• Backgrounder: Prime Minister Carney announces landmark investment to retrofit one million homes, cutting energy costs and emissions

Associated links

• Powering Canada Strong: A National Strategy for an Electrified Canadian Economy
• Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program
• Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program

SOURCE Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada

Contacts: Julia McIntyre, Executive Assistant & Manager, Stakeholder Relations, Office of Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener - Conestoga, 519-574-9831, [email protected]; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]