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Home Upgrades Program

Aiming to make energy costs more affordable for households experiencing energy poverty in Calgary, Edmonton, and other Albertan communities.

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About

To help make energy costs more affordable for lower-income households, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation has partnered with Kambo Energy Group to offer the Home Upgrades Program.

A coalition of funders supports the program, including Alberta Ecotrust's Climate Innovation Fund, the City of Edmonton, the City of Calgary, the Town of Canmore, the City of St. Albert (through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund), the Calgary Foundation, McConnell Foundation, ENMAX, the Alberta Real Estate Foundation and Suncor Energy Foundation.  

Designed for efficiency

The program aims to help make energy costs more affordable for households experiencing energy poverty in Alberta.

The Home Upgrades Program offers free energy efficiency education and home upgrades to income-qualified families living in Calgary, Edmonton, Canmore and St. Albert. We identify and install home upgrades based on each household’s unique needs, such as new windows, furnaces, and insulation. The program is designed to reduce energy costs, and improve the comfort, safety and efficiency of the homes.

What the cities are saying...

  • “Supporting Calgarians impacted by energy poverty is a key action identified in our Climate Implementation Plan. The Home Upgrades Program will make a tangible difference in the lives of underserved Calgarians while supporting Calgary as a growing city with sustainable and equitable communities."
    Carolyn Bowen, Director, Climate & Environment, City of Calgary
  • "Edmonton is proud to support community-based initiatives that help citizens take an active role in combating climate change and supporting energy transitions through programs like this one. Through Edmonton’s Energy Transition Strategy, our goal is to alleviate energy poverty by making homes more energy efficient and benefiting those who need it the most. This improves the quality of life for program participants while helping us meet our climate goals."
    Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, City of Edmonton
  • “Supporting Calgarians impacted by energy poverty is a key action identified in our Climate Implementation Plan. The Home Upgrades Program will make a tangible difference in the lives of underserved Calgarians while supporting Calgary as a growing city with sustainable and equitable communities."
    Carolyn Bowen, Director, Climate & Environment, City of Calgary
  • "Edmonton is proud to support community-based initiatives that help citizens take an active role in combating climate change and supporting energy transitions through programs like this one. Through Edmonton’s Energy Transition Strategy, our goal is to alleviate energy poverty by making homes more energy efficient and benefiting those who need it the most. This improves the quality of life for program participants while helping us meet our climate goals."
    Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, City of Edmonton

Addressing Energy Poverty in Alberta

Energy poverty refers to the experience of households or communities that struggle to afford to heat and power their homes. 

In Canada, families spending more than six percent of their after-tax income on energy bills are considered to be in energy poverty. That is about 64,000 families in Calgary and 50,000 in Edmonton.

These families are forced to spend less money on food, clothing, and other essentials.

Typically, energy-poor households live in homes that are significantly less energy-efficient than average homes. This is due to older appliances and poor building conditions. Properly selected energy efficiency measures have proven to be the most cost-effective and efficient solution to reduce energy bills and relieve energy poverty.

Home Upgrade Program Logo
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Our approach

Our program engagement approach will build off of Kambo Energy Group’s long-standing and successful program, Empower Me.

The Home Upgrades Program tackles energy affordability through home upgrades that improve efficiency, comfort and safety while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The program identifies and installs home upgrades based on each household’s unique needs, which may include upgrades such as furnaces, air sealing and insulation.

Building on previous work, best practice research, and program results, we will develop recommendations and program design principles for Alberta’s first province-wide program that is scalable and sustainable.

Our goal is to raise awareness among local, provincial, and federal governments about the need for this program in Alberta.

Thank You to Our Program Partners and Contributors

Alberta Ecotrust's Climate Innovation Fund logo
Black and green Empower Me logo with leaf
Alberta real Estate Foundation BLACK

Who can I contact with questions?