What a Calgary home can use for insulation
We re-read each program page on October 3, 2026. Sources are linked at the bottom of this page.
Calgary Home Upgrades Program
Insulation, air sealing and other upgrades at no cost for income-qualified homeowners and renters. New applications go on a waiting list. The free workshops and RetroKits are still open.
Calgary CEIP
Finance up to 100% of the cost and repay it on your property tax bill. Closed until winter 2026/2027; estimated rate 6.00% to 6.10%.
Canada Greener Homes Grant
The federal insulation grant has ended. December 31, 2025 was the last day to submit documents.
Do you qualify for free upgrades?
The Home Upgrades Program uses total household income before tax, counting everyone 18 or older in the home. The limits are $52,884 for one person, $65,836 for two, $80,938 for three, $98,269 for four, $111,456 for five, $125,703 for six and $139,951 for seven or more. Your home must be a detached house, duplex or townhome built before 1998, and your name must be on the utility bill.
Which Calgary homes need insulation most
The 2021 Census counted 502,305 Calgary households. About 35% live in homes built before 1981, the years when building codes asked for far less insulation than today. That is 176,880 households. Another 27% live in homes built from 1981 to 2000.
The Home Upgrades cut-off of 1998 lines up with this. A bungalow from the 1960s or a split-level from the 1970s often has a thin layer of attic insulation that has settled over the years. Those are the homes where new insulation makes the biggest difference to comfort.
Free upgrades: what to expect
The Home Upgrades Program is run by Kambo Energy Group for the City of Calgary. It lists insulation, efficient furnaces, LED lighting and high-efficiency toilets among the upgrades it can do. Not every home gets every upgrade; the team decides what your home needs.
The program is open to renters as well as owners, which is rare. If you rent and pay your own utilities, you can apply. While you wait for the Home Upgrades stream, you can order a free do-it-yourself RetroKit if you meet the income limit, or join a free Empower Me workshop, which is open to everyone.
Using CEIP for insulation
CEIP finances energy upgrades on low-rise homes, including insulation and air sealing. You borrow up to 100% of the cost, to $50,000, and repay it on your property tax bill for up to 20 years. You can pay it off early with no fee.
Every CEIP project starts with an EnerGuide home evaluation. It rates how well your home holds heat and gives you a list of the upgrades that would help most. That is the best way to choose between attic, wall and basement insulation, and it stops you paying for work that won't help much.
Remember that CEIP is a loan. At an estimated 6.00% to 6.10%, it costs real money. Insulation lasts for decades, though, so it is one of the upgrades where a long repayment term makes sense.
Calgary's climate and insulation
Calgary's average January low over the last ten years was about -11.9°C, and the coldest reading was -39.4°C. In weather like that, gaps around attic hatches, pot lights and rim joists can cost you more than a thin wall. Air sealing is often the cheapest win, and it is usually done before new attic insulation goes in.
Top-rated installers in Calgary
Ranked by Google reviews (minimum five). We don't take referral fees or paid placements. For CEIP, the contractor must be in the CEIP Qualified Contractor directory.
How to get insulation help in Calgary
- Check your household income against the Home Upgrades table above.
- If you qualify, apply to the Home Upgrades Program and ask for a RetroKit while you wait.
- If you don't, sign up for Calgary's CEIP email updates and wait for intake to reopen in winter 2026/2027.
- Pre-qualify with Alberta Municipalities, then book your EnerGuide evaluation.
- Get quotes from CEIP Qualified Contractors and sign your agreement before work starts.
Common questions
Is there an insulation rebate in Calgary?
Not a cash rebate in 2026. Income-qualified households can get insulation free through the Calgary Home Upgrades Program. Other homeowners can finance it through CEIP when intake reopens.
Can I still get the Greener Homes Grant for insulation?
No. The Canada Greener Homes Grant has ended. December 31, 2025 was the last day to submit documents.
Is my home too new for the Home Upgrades Program?
The program is for detached homes, duplexes and townhomes built before 1998. Homes built in 1998 or later don't qualify for the upgrades stream.
Does CEIP cover insulation in a townhome?
Yes, if it is a low-rise home that meets the CEIP rules. If the work affects shared or common property, you need an approval letter from your condo board or building owner.
Can I start insulating now and use CEIP later?
No. The City says projects started before your application is approved and your agreement is signed can't be financed.
What to do next
If you plan a heat pump later, insulate first. Read our Calgary heat pump page to see how CEIP handles both, or see every Alberta program we track.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 3, 2026: Calgary Home Upgrades Program, City of Calgary: Residential Clean Energy Improvement Program, Natural Resources Canada: Canada Greener Homes Initiative, Statistics Canada, 2021 Census table 98-10-0233-01. All Calgary rebates → Every Alberta rebate and financing program →