What the Home Renovation Savings program pays for windows and doors in Sault Ste. Marie
We re-read the program's page and its eligibility requirements on October 3, 2026. Windows and doors are paid only inside the assessment stream, so every amount here comes with an assessment and at least two upgrades.
Windows and doors
One payment per opening in an outside wall, not per unit. A bay window with three panes in one opening earns $100.
Smallest qualifying job
Three window openings, or one door, sliding door or skylight opening, count as one qualified measure. Two windows alone earn nothing.
Home energy assessment
$600 comes back when the program is completed. Covers the cost of the first and the follow-up assessment once the program is completed.
Three or more upgrades
Windows count as one upgrade. Insulation, air sealing and a heat pump water heater are the others in this stream.
Program cap
$10,000 for homes heated by electricity, oil, propane or wood, and $5,000 for homes heated by Enbridge gas.
The program is run by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy. Post-audits must be scheduled by November 30, 2026 and completed by December 31, 2026, or within 180 days of your first assessment, whichever comes first.
The oldest stock in the set
The 2021 Census counts 15,205 owner-occupied detached houses built before 1981 in the Sault, and 24,480 households overall live in homes of that age. 65% live in detached houses, 74% in an eligible house type and 68% own. For a city of this size the pool of homes with old windows is unusually large.
Cold, with a long heating season
The January average low is -11.5°C and the 2015 to 2024 record was -30.5°C. A house with original windows loses a lot of heat. Compare the rebate with the audit's heat-loss estimate, and use the audit to decide how many openings to replace.
Which heating fuel are you on?
The higher $10,000 cap applies to homes heated mainly with electricity, oil, propane or wood, while Enbridge gas homes are capped at $5,000. Many Sault homes may fall in either group, so check what the audit records as your primary heat at the time of both assessments.
Help for lower incomes
If your household income is low, ask about the Energy Affordability Program from Save on Energy first. It offers free upgrades such as insulation and draft proofing.
Homes with a secondary suite
A house that was built as a single dwelling and later gained a secondary suite is eligible, but the audit must cover the entire home and a central heating system must be present. Two-zone buildings that need separate blower door tests are not eligible, and neither are homes built as multi-family dwellings. Owners with a rented upstairs or basement unit should confirm which category the house falls into before paying for the first assessment.
How windows fit the minimum
The program counts windows, doors, skylights and sliding doors together as a single qualified measure. A Sault owner who replaces an old patio door alone qualifies for that measure, because one door-type opening is enough, while two window openings alone do not. Since two measures are required, plan the second upgrade at the same time, and ask the advisor to confirm in writing which measures the report counts.
How to claim in Sault Ste. Marie
- Confirm you own the home, it has been occupied for six months and it is one of the eligible house types.
- Book the first home energy assessment with a registered energy advisor before any work starts.
- Choose at least one more upgrade to pair with the windows, and get quotes that count rough openings the way the program does.
- Check whether you qualify for the free Energy Affordability Program first.
- Have a professional install complete windows or doors with frames, keep the ENERGY STAR labels on until the follow-up assessment, and book it.
Common questions
How old are the houses in the Sault?
75% of households live in homes built before 1981.
Is there free help?
Yes, for income-qualified households.
What is the cap?
$10,000 for electricity, oil, propane or wood, $5,000 for Enbridge gas.
Are windows enough alone?
No. You need at least two qualified measures.
What to do next
See Sault Ste. Marie insulation rebates and the Ontario rebate calculator.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 3, 2026: Home Renovation Savings: assessment upgrades, Home Renovation Savings eligibility requirements (PDF), Save on Energy: Home Renovation Savings, Statistics Canada 2021 Census, table 98-10-0233-01. All Sault Ste. Marie rebates → Every Home Renovation Savings rebate →
