One of the biggest challenges of going solar for many homeowners is the upfront cost. To improve solar accessibility, the federal government has opened The Canada Greener Homes Loan, offering a 10-year term at 0% interest. Here’s how you can take advantage of the Canada Greener Homes 0% loan program with Polaron!
Step 1 – Schedule a Pre-Energy Audit
The first step to qualify for the loan is to complete a pre-energy audit with a registered energy auditor. If you sign on with us, you can permit us to have one of our preferred energy auditors reach out to you directly and schedule an audit. Otherwise, please contact any registered auditing company in your area.
Please note there are costs associated with the energy audit and Polaron is not responsible for these fees.
Step 2 – Complete the Energy Audit
Your energy audit will take around 1-2 hours to complete. After 5-10 business days you will receive a Pre-Energy Audit report with a file number attached at the top of the document. Please make sure that your report outlines solar as an eligible upgrade. The system size won’t matter at this stage, but to be approved for the loan, the report must show solar as a suggestion.
If you’re signed on with Polaron, please keep in mind that this report is separate from the site assessment report we offer our customers.
Step 3- Registration and Application
Once you have your report confirming solar as an upgrade suggestion, it’s time to start your online application! Here are the steps to begin your process.
- Sign in or register for an account on the Canada Greener Homes portal,
- Once you’ve registered or signed in, please input your energy audit file
- In the Retrofit Selection page, please select Renewable Energy-Solar Panels and input all the necessary details according to your solar quote. (**Please make sure you’re using the numbers from your Site Assessment Report Proposal (page 7)
- Submit your application for review
- Once submitted, please ensure the application status of your project shows – Submitted
- Additional information may be requested by CGHL via email. Please submit any necessary information to confirm your eligibility
Required Documents for CGHL Application
Here are all the documents you should prepare before starting your application.
- Pre-retrofit evaluation number
- Government ID with your address. If you don’t have an ID with your address, please include an electricity bill with your ID.
- Property tax bill or assessment
- Detailed quotes from contractors or a complete material and rental estimate from suppliers
- Proof of income and employment
Step 4 – Application Approved and Pending Signing
Once CGHL reviews and approves your application, your status should change to “Approved”. From this point, you have 30 days to accept the loan. Please be advised that by accepting the loan for this application, you will NOT be able to apply for the loan again.
Any changes you wish to make to your application before accepting the loan can be requested to your underwriter. Their information should be at the bottom of the page.
If you don’t accept the approval within 30 days, please reapply and email questions@cghli.ca or call 18662929517 to reactivate your application.
You can accept the loan offer by clicking “Proceed to Loan Offer”
Step 5 – Accepted Loan and Receive Payment
When you accept your loan, your application status will change to “Accepted”
If you are a Polaron customer, please screenshot and send over your acceptance status, including the amount, to qualify for the 45-day grace period before payment is due after installation.
CGHL 15% Down Payment for Payment 2 to Polaron
CGHL will provide a 15% down payment of your total project costs within 5 to 10 business days. At this stage, you should have received your Site Assessment Report from Polaron. Once the report is reviewed and signed back to us, we’ll send you an invoice for Payment 2. When you receive the initial 15% amount from CGHL, please forward the payment to Polaron to pay your Payment 2 invoice.
Please note that Polaron cannot continue your project until we receive the 15% down payment. If you intend to fund your solar project using CGHL, please don’t pay the 15% before you’re approved for the loan.
Step 6 – Post-Installation Audit
Your application is almost complete! After your solar panels are installed, you’ll just need to book and complete a post-energy audit. It usually takes 5-10 business days to complete the energy audit, depending on which energy auditor you choose. This step must be done to receive the rest of your loan amount.
Step 7 – Post Energy Audit Completion and Final Payment
Please go to CGHL’s website to submit all necessary post-installation documents. To complete your application and access the rest of your loan, please prepare the following documents.
- Final Invoice From Polaron (Attached in Polaron’s Warranty Package)
- Post-audit evaluation (Document provided after the post-energy audit, showing energy upgrade was completed)
Your loan officer may require additional information, however, you should likely receive your loan 10-15 business days after the final submission. Polaron requests that you please pay the remaining installation cost within 45 days if we receive your loan approval information at your loan acceptance stage.
Application Complete
Congrats on completing your CGHL application and installing your new solar system! At Polaron, we always try our best to guide our customers through the application process with email reminders and available specialists if you have any questions. Contact us anytime and we’d be happy to help!
