What Home Renovation Savings pays for insulation in Sault Ste. Marie
We re-read the program's pages and both eligibility documents on October 3, 2026. There are two ways in: an attic-only stream with no assessment, and the assessment stream, where insulation, windows, air sealing and a heat pump water heater are bundled.
Attic, no assessment
The attic stream pays half of the after-tax cost, up to $1,250 for an attic from R-12 or less to R-50, $1,000 from R-25 or less and $800 from R-35 or less. A participating insulation contractor must do the work.
Attic, with assessment
In the assessment stream an attic brought to at least R-50 pays $1,500, $1,200 or $900 by starting R-value, pro-rated by the share of the roof you insulate (minimum 50%).
Cathedral ceiling or flat roof
$750 in the attic stream and $780 in the assessment stream. Any combination of attic, cathedral and flat roof counts as one measure, capped at $1,500 in the assessment stream.
Exterior walls
$1,200 for R-7.5 to R-12 added, $2,100 for more than R-12 to R-20 and $3,600 for more than R-20. Minimum 20% of wall area, pro-rated.
Basement walls, slab and headers
Walls up to $1,500, a slab $500 and a header $300. Wall plus slab is capped at $2,000, and all three at $2,300.
Crawl space and exposed floors
Crawl space walls $600 or $1,200, ceiling $1,200, header $300, combined up to $2,700. An exposed floor over a garage earns $300 at R-20 or more.
Semis and row homes
Semi-detached and end-unit row homes get 75% of the walls and basement maximums. Middle-unit rows get 50%.
Audit rebate and cap
The assessment stream returns $600 for the audits and caps insulation rebates at $7,700, inside an overall $10,000 limit, or $5,000 for Enbridge gas homes.
Attic stream work must be finished by November 30, 2026 and entered in the system by December 31. In the assessment stream, the post-audit must be scheduled by November 30 and completed by December 31, 2026, or within 180 days of your first assessment.
The oldest stock we cover
The 2021 Census counts 65% of households in detached houses, 74% in an eligible type, 68% owning and 7.1% reporting a home needing major repairs. January averages -11.5°C and the record low was -30.5°C in 2015 to 2024.
Aim for R-50
Both attic streams require reaching at least R-50 overall, not adding R-50. In an old Sault house with R-8 in the attic, the contractor has to add about R-42. Ask for the final R-value in writing and for markers where loose-fill is used.
Secondary suites
A house built as a single dwelling that later gained a secondary suite is eligible, with the work covering the whole attic or home and a central heating system. A house built as a multi-family dwelling is not. Confirm before you book.
Walls and basements
Exterior walls pay up to $3,600 and basement walls up to $1,500, with a 20% minimum area. Over a long winter, those surfaces matter as much as the attic. The assessment stream is the only route for them.
Free help
The Energy Affordability Program from Save on Energy offers free upgrades to income-qualified households. Ask about it first.
How to claim in Sault Ste. Marie
- Find your attic R-value and decide between the two streams.
- Choose a stream: pre-register for the attic stream, or book a home energy assessment for the full bundle.
- Get quotes that state the R-value you start with, the R-value you reach and the share of each surface you will insulate.
- Do not start any work until the in-home visit or first assessment has happened.
- Keep invoices and your property tax bill for the paperwork, and finish before the November 30 and December 31, 2026 dates.
Common questions
How old is Sault housing?
75% of households live in homes built before 1981.
Is R-50 an amount added?
No. It is the total to reach.
Can a house with a rented suite qualify?
Yes, if originally built as one dwelling.
Are walls covered?
In the assessment stream.
What to do next
See Sault Ste. Marie window and door rebates and the Ontario rebate calculator.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 3, 2026: Home Renovation Savings: assessment upgrades, Home Renovation Savings: attic insulation, Home Renovation Savings eligibility requirements (PDF), Attic stream requirements (PDF), Statistics Canada 2021 Census, table 98-10-0233-01. All Sault Ste. Marie rebates → Every Home Renovation Savings rebate →
