How much you get
Solar panel installation
$1,000 per kW of installed capacity, capped at 50% of your total project cost.
Solar + battery, stacked
Add the battery storage rebate (also up to $5,000) on top of solar.
One choice: rebate or net metering, not both
Synergy North offers net metering, but you can't combine it with this rebate — it's one or the other. The rebate pays out once, up front. Net metering credits you gradually for power you send back to the grid. Which one nets you more depends on your system size and how much power you actually export, so it's worth running both scenarios before you commit.
How to claim it
- Complete the eligibility form on the Save on Energy portal
- Select a participating solar contractor
- Get pre-installation approval before work starts
- Installation is completed
- Contractor submits the post-installation application
- Rebate cheque arrives within 60 days of approval
Solar installers in Thunder Bay
We're still building our verified installer network in Thunder Bay. In the meantime, browse our full directory of vetted installers across Ontario — several serve the Northwestern Ontario region.
Browse the installer directory →
Common questions
How much is the solar rebate in Thunder Bay?
Up to $5,000: $1,000 per kW installed, capped at 50% of total cost. Stack it with battery storage for up to $10,000 combined.
Can I take the solar rebate and net meter with Synergy North?
No, it's one or the other. The rebate is a one-time payment; net metering credits you over time for surplus power. Compare both for your own usage before deciding.
Wait — is it Thunder Bay Hydro or Synergy North?
Both names show up because the utility changed identity mid-decade: Thunder Bay Hydro merged with Kenora Hydro in 2019 to form Synergy North. Older paperwork, older contractor quotes, and some directories still say "Thunder Bay Hydro" — it's the same company, and the same net metering terms apply either way.
Thunder Bay Hydro handles the part the province doesn't
The $1,000/kW rebate figure above comes from Queen's Park and doesn't move regardless of who bills you — but the moment your panels start exporting power back to the grid, you're dealing with Synergy North (the company formed when Thunder Bay Hydro merged with Kenora Hydro in 2019), not the province. How much a kilowatt-hour of your surplus is worth and how unused credits roll forward month to month are decisions Synergy North makes on its own timeline, so get their current net metering terms in writing before you size a system around them.
How much sun Thunder Bay actually gets
Sitting on Lake Superior in Northwestern Ontario, Thunder Bay isn't where most people picture a solar installation — but the five-year average (2020-2024) tells a less dramatic story: 3.73 peak sun hours a day and 13.43 MJ/m² of daily solar radiation, only modestly below what southern Ontario cities see. It's on the lower end of the province's range without being an outlier, which means solar here works about as well as it does in most of Ontario — just plan around slightly shorter effective sun per day than a Toronto or Windsor homeowner would. The City of Thunder Bay's environment page lists building-level solar as one of the actions under its own emissions-reduction work.
Next steps
View all Thunder Bay rebate programs → or check the official Home Renovation Savings Program site → for the current source of truth.