What Home Renovation Savings pays for insulation in Thunder Bay
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.
Old and cold
The 2021 Census counts 21,420 owner-occupied detached houses built before 1981 in Thunder Bay. 65% of households live in detached houses, 73% in an eligible type, 68% own and 7.6% report needing major repairs. The record low was -31.9°C.
Order the repairs
With one in thirteen households reporting major repairs, many owners have a list. Do the roof or structural work first, and book the assessment or in-home visit before any contractor starts. Insulation completed beforehand does not qualify.
Attic stream deadline
The attic stream requires installation by November 30, 2026, with the contractor entering the work by December 31. A Thunder Bay contractor's fall schedule can fill early, so ask for a written date when you pre-register.
Cathedral ceilings
If the house has a cathedral ceiling or flat roof, the rebate is $750 or $780 and requires R-20 or R-28 depending on the starting value. Any combination of roof types counts as one measure.
How to claim in Thunder Bay
- Pre-register for the attic stream or book the assessment.
- 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 cold is Thunder Bay?
The January average low is -14.2 degrees Celsius.
What is the attic stream deadline?
Work done by November 30, 2026.
What do cathedral ceilings need?
R-20 or R-28 depending on the starting value.
Can I start before the visit?
No.
What to do next
See Thunder Bay 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 Thunder Bay rebates → Every Home Renovation Savings rebate →
