Frequently asked questions

The Save on Energy First Nations Community Building Retrofit Program helps First Nations communities improve the energy efficiency of their band-owned commercial and industrial facilities, and manage their energy use more effectively. 

The program offers up to $330,000 in funding for communities to implement energy-efficiency projects to reduce electricity consumption in band-owned facilities, such as arenas, water and wastewater treatment facilities, schools and Band Council offices. Eligible upgrades include a variety of measures, such as lighting, lighting controls, smart thermostats and window air conditioners, as well as more complex retrofits.

Communities can choose to implement energy-efficiency improvements through either:

• A direct installation, turnkey approach provided by the Save on Energy program delivery partner, or
• A community installation approach for more specialized projects where the community will contract directly with a third party to upgrade street lighting, water and wastewater treatment facilities and arenas. This track also requires an engineering study. 

All on-reserve, grid connected First Nations communities in Ontario are eligible to participate in the First Nations Community Building Retrofit Program. Please see the list of communities to see if your community is eligible to participate in Appendix 2 of the program requirements.

This program is delivered through either a direct install or a community install approach, to best suit community needs and preferences. More details on each approach are provided below.

Direct Install 

• Save on Energy’s program delivery partner will handle the entire installation process on your community’s behalf. This includes everything from searching for a qualified contractor to obtaining quotes and scheduling installations, and even project management and cleanup.
• Includes the direct installation of a variety of energy-efficiency measures to upgrade indoor and outdoor lighting, smart thermostats, window air conditioning and improved vending machine controls.   
• All on-reserve band-owned commercial and industrial facilities are eligible under this approach.

Community Install

• Participating communities oversee the entire project and installation process with support from Save on Energy’s program delivery partner.
• Up to $10,000 of the of the $330,000 in funding is available to conduct a feasibility study for the installation of more complex retrofit projects for eligible facilities, including but not limited to, variable frequency drives for pumps or fans in waste and wastewater treatment plants, or retrofits to ice rink refrigeration systems.
• Eligible facilities in this approach include waste and wastewater treatment plants, arenas and street lighting.

More information on each approach can be found in the program requirements.

The following measures are not considered to be eligible for the program:

• Measures that are pilot or demonstration projects, not generally commercially available or otherwise unproven
• Measures that have previously received funding through an IESO program, unless evidence supports the installation of measures in a different area of the facility

There is no cost to participate in the program. Eligible communities can receive up to $330,000 per community in free energy-efficiency upgrades.

The following services and upgrades are covered by the $330,000 in funding available per eligible community:

• Benchmarking analysis and benchmark report for all band-owned facilities
• Energy assessments for up to 15 facilities chosen by the participant from the benchmark report
• A site-visit report containing a list of potential project opportunities
• A project plan that outlines the costs and schedule for installation of each selected project
• Funding for eligible measures under the direct install approach, including lighting, lighting controls, smart thermostats, improved vending machine controls and window ACs  
• Under the community install approach, funding to cover the detailed engineering study, material and equipment supply, and installation costs
• A final report outlining the installed measures and estimated annual electricity savings

Communities that participate in the community install approach are required to pay for an engineering study, but will be reimbursed for the full cost of the study once the project is completed.

Communities may request to receive 50 percent of the funding once 50 percent of the project costs have been incurred. If the IESO approves this request, the remaining 50 percent will be reimbursed upon project completion.

An engineering study is required for any projects implemented under the community install approach. Up to $10,000 of the total $330,000 available in funding can be used for an engineering study. The community must pay for the study, but will be reimbursed for up to $10,000 once the project is completed. 

The engineering study will be completed by a third-party contractor chosen by the community. It will outline the technical aspects of a project (including measures, energy savings, costs and project schedule) based on detailed system drawing measurements (e.g., temperature, pressure, operating hours, etc.) and equipment specifications (e.g., thermal rating, operating hours, etc.).

Communities will receive a benchmark report that will compare the energy use of its buildings with other similar buildings to help prioritize which facilities (up to 15) will be selected for an in-person energy assessment.

An energy auditor will be on-site to assess opportunities for energy-efficiency upgrades in up to 15 facilities identified through the benchmark report.

All existing equipment that is replaced and any waste products that result from the installation will be removed, decommissioned and disposed of in accordance with local laws, regulations and environmental best practices.

To receive a program application package, please email info@fnretrofitprogram.ca, or call 1-877-631-2380.

Save on Energy is here to help you at any point along the way. To sign up, find out if your community qualifies, or to learn more about the program, contact us at info@fnretrofitprogram.ca, or call 1-877-631-2380.

Upgrades for facilities will be determined through an on-site energy assessment completed by Save on Energy’s program delivery partner. The energy assessment will identify opportunities for energy-efficiency upgrades in your facilities for both the direct install and community install approach.

Following the assessment, a community will receive a site visit report outlining project opportunities and recommendations for upgrades for each eligible facility. The community will then select which upgrades it wishes to receive for each eligible facility. 

For both the direct install approach and the community install approach, an eligible facility must meet the following criteria:

• Be located within a reserve of a First Nation that is an eligible community
• Have a primary use that is non-residential (i.e., commercial or institutional)
• Be located on band-owned land and operated for the use and benefit of the community.

For the community install approach, facilities are limited to street lighting, water and wastewater treatment facilities and arenas.

More information on program eligibility is available in the program requirements.

For the direct install approach, please see list of eligible measures provided in Appendix 1 of the program requirements. 

For the community install approach, there is no set measures list, but the energy savings need to meet the following criteria:

• Peak demand savings of 1 kW and/or annual energy savings of at least 2,000 kWh
• Projected delivery of such peak demand savings and/or energy savings for a minimum period of 48 months from the project completion date
• Identified in the detailed engineering study.

An application is considered complete once: 

• The participant signs the Participant Agreement
• The participant provides a signed Band Council Resolution 
• The participant identifies a Community Coordinator to liaise between the participant and the program delivery provider
• The participant commits to providing benchmark data within 20 business days of the IESO countersigning the participant agreement.

The Community Coordinator acts as the primary point of contact between the community and program delivery partner. The community coordinator will assist in the collection of benchmark data, coordination of program logistics in the community, and will support communities in key program decision processes (e.g., selection of facilities for energy assessments). 

The community coordinator may be a Community Energy Champion (CEC) in the community or another individual with capacity to support the program. 

Yes, facilities are eligible for other Save on Energy programs, but individual measures themselves cannot receive funding from multiple Save on Energy programs.

Assessments can be scheduled as soon as the facility benchmark report has been completed and participants have chosen the facilities for the energy-efficiency upgrades. 

Once energy assessments are completed, participants will receive a site visit report outlining various opportunities for energy-efficiency upgrades. Participants will select which projects they wish to pursue and sign off on a project plan provided by the program delivery partner. Once the project plan has been approved by a community, installations can be scheduled.

Measures will be installed within approximately one month from when a participant approves the project plan supplied by the program delivery partner. Timing may vary based on participant and contractor schedules. 

Projects under the community install track must be completed no later than 12 months after the project plan is approved.