Toronto's Home Energy Loan Program (HELP): Up to $125,000, With a 0% Option

Toronto's Home Energy Loan Program, usually shortened to HELP, is one of the longest-running municipal retrofit financing programs in Ontario and among the largest by loan ceiling. The terms below reflect what the City published as of August 2026; confirm the current figures with the City before applying.

Homeowners can borrow up to $125,000 to cover the cost of home energy improvements, and a 0% interest option is available. A ceiling that high is unusual — it is enough to fund a deep retrofit that touches the envelope, the heating system and on-site generation in a single project rather than in stages spread over years.

That said, borrowing capacity is not the same as good project design. A deep retrofit only pays back if the sequence is right: reduce the load first through air sealing and insulation, then size the mechanical system to the improved house. Skipping that order tends to produce an oversized heat pump and a smaller saving than the modelling promised.

For a second opinion on sizing and realistic savings before you commit a large loan, Solify offers a free savings report that estimates the numbers for your specific home.

As with other municipal programs, expect an application and eligibility review, a pre-retrofit energy assessment, work completed by qualified contractors, and a post-retrofit assessment to verify results. Building permits are still required where applicable; loan approval does not replace them.

This is an independent summary rather than an official City page. The City of Toronto publishes the governing terms, and those are what apply to your application.