Funding Opportunities for School Boards

Looking for funding to support climate action, energy efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure?

• Safe and Active School Routes Offer

  Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Funding and peer learning for planning and implementing safe, low-emission travel routes in school zones (sidewalks, bike lanes, quick-build infrastructure)

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Available to Canadian municipalities to plan and implement infrastructure that directly benefits school travel and youth safety.

  Learn more about the Safe and Active School Routes Offer program.

• EV Charger Incentive Program

  Green Economy Canada

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Install new EV level 3 chargers that increase charging opportunities.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Any legally incorporated or registered for-profit (SMEs) or not-for-profit organization in Canada. Priority to ON.

  Learn more about the EV Charger Incentive Program.

• Expanded Energy Management Program (EEM)

  Save on Energy (IESO)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Funding to hire a dedicated Energy Manager or participate in Strategic Energy Management (SEM) expert coaching cohorts to optimize energy performance.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Commercial and institutional organizations like school boards. SEM requires facility use of ≥3 million kWh; Energy Manager requires ≥6.5 million kWh.

  Learn more about the Expanded Energy Management Program (EEM).

• Retrofit Program

  Save on Energy (IESO)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Financial incentives to replace outdated equipment with high-efficiency alternatives (including lighting, HVAC, motors, and control retrofits).

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Open to commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings, including public schools and school boards.

  Learn more about the Retrofit Program.

• Existing Building Commissioning Program

  Save on Energy (IESO)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Incentives to hire qualified commissioning providers to optimize building systems operation and maintenance (O&M) practices.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Existing institutional or commercial facilities with a minimum annual electricity consumption of 750,000 kWh.

  Learn more about the Existing Building Commissioning Program.

• Energy Performance Program

  Save on Energy (IESO)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  A multi-year, pay-for-performance model that provides rewards for whole-building energy performance improvements.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Facilities must commit to achieving at least 5% electricity savings and have a minimum annual usage of 3,000 MWh.

  Learn more about the Energy Performance Program.

• XLerate Program

  Save on Energy (IESO)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Streamlined, pay-for-performance initiative providing a simplified approach to executing large-scale energy efficiency projects.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Open to industrial, municipal, institutional, and healthcare sector facilities across Ontario.

  Learn more about the XLerate Program.

• Peak Performance Program

  Save on Energy (IESO)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Financial incentives for reducing HVAC loads and electricity draw on designated peak demand days during the summer.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Commercial and institutional buildings connected to the IESO-controlled grid.

  Learn more about the Peak Performance Program.

• Carbon Neutral Capital Program (CNCP)

  Ministry of Education and Child Care

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Funding for carbon-neutral upgrades that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as HVAC upgrades, electrical upgrades, and electric bus-charging infrastructure.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  B.C. public school districts implementing projects with the highest GHG reduction and operational efficiency impact.

• School Enhancement Program (SEP)

  Ministry of Education and Child Care

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Funding for minor capital repairs, system upgrades, and structural maintenance designed to extend building service life.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  B.C. public school districts for functional building upgrades and critical repairs.

• Bus Acquisition Program

  Ministry of Education and Child Care

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Capital funding for replacing older school buses, with specific allocations dedicated to zero-emission electric buses.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  B.C. school districts with buses surpassing age/mileage limits or requiring new routes.

• Public Charger Program

  Plugin BC

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  The CleanBC Go Electric Program is intended to encourage and accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in British Columbia (B.C.) for both their environmental and economic benefits.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  To be eligible for the Program an applicant must:

  • Be the current site owner or have approval (in writing) from the site owner to install the charging infrastructure for a minimum ten-year period; and,
  • Meet Program uptime requirements (the Program reserves the right to withhold future program funds from organizations that do not comply. Please see section 6.0 for complete information on uptime requirements):

  1. Maintain a charging site uptime of 97% or higher for charging sites made up of stations funded by the program. o Uptime data must be submitted to the Fraser Basin Council in a report after all applicable EV chargers are in operation for six (6) months. This report must be submitted within 90 days of the date that the chargers have been operational for 6 months.
  2. In rural and remote communities with populations of 10,000 or less, where access to repair services may be limited, an exception to the uptime requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis. An exemption to this requirement must be requested by emailing the program at PublicCharger@pluginbc.ca.

  Learn more about the Public Charger Program.

• Click here to see the amounts

  Maximum Rebate Amount
  $20,000
  for ≥20 kW, but <50 kW DCFCs
  (up to 50% of project costs, or 75% for tandem installations*)

  $50,000
  ≥50 kW, but <100 kW DCFCs
  (up to 50% of project costs, or 75% for tandem installations)

  $80,000
  ≥100 kW DCFCs
  (up to 50% of project costs, or 75% for tandem installations)

  $5,000
  Level 2**: ≥32 amps
  (up to 50% of costs)

• Home and Workplace Charging Program

  Plugin BC

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Get rebates on the cost of purchasing and installing EV chargers at your workplace. Pre-approval is required before purchasing or installing chargers at your workplace.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  To be considered eligible under this program, a workplace must:

  • Be located in B.C.
  • Have a minimum of five employees that work primarily based on the premises.
  • Be constructed no later than August 31, 2022. This rebate is for retrofit solutions only, new builds are ineligible.
  • Have dedicated parking for employees: the rebated charging stations must be dedicated for the use of employees only, during employee working hours.
  • The installation must be done by a certified electrician.
  • Consider working with an electrician who has completed the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training program.

  Learn more about the Home and Workplace Charging Program.

• Click here to see the amounts

  Workplace owners who purchase and install eligible EV chargers could receive a rebate of up to 50% of those costs. The rebate is available to a maximum of up to $2,000 per charger, and up to $14,000 per workplace, while funding lasts. A business can apply for a maximum combined rebate total of $56,000 per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) across all of their workplace sites.

  These rebates can be combined with other incentives. If combined, it will be capped so that the total incentives don’t exceed the total cost of the equipment and installation. Select municipalities also offer top-ups that increase rebate amounts.

• Fleet Charging Program

  Plugin BC

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  The Fleet Charging Program provides rebates to support public and private fleets deploy ZEV infrastructure, and support services for organizations seeking ZEV solutions for their fleet needs.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Must have fleet vehicles registered to your organization registered in B.C. and apply for pre-approval.

  Learn more about the Fleet Charging Program.

• Solar for Schools Program

  Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Financial rebates and technical support to assist in purchasing and installing grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on schools.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Public school authorities operating within Alberta.

• ÉcoPerformance Program

  Gouvernement du Québec (Transition énergétique Québec)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Financial assistance for energy monitoring, management systems, and retrofits to facilitate fuel switching and process improvements.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Businesses, municipalities, and institutional organizations (including school boards) consuming fossil fuels.

• Custom Retrofit Program

  Efficiency Nova Scotia

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Tailored technical and financial support for major engineering studies, complex equipment upgrades, and custom system retrofits including:

  • Engineering costs (consultant or in-house staff)
  • Equipment purchase and delivery costs
  • Installation and commissioning labour

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Served directly or indirectly by Nova Scotia Power Inc. Facilities consume at least 350,000 kWh annually (Multiple smaller facilities may be grouped for a project (e.g. schools)).

  Energy saving projects produce a minimum 15,000 kWh of electrical energy savings per year d) Projects have a simple payback period of no less than 1 year, and no greater than 15 years before ENS incentives.

  Learn more about the Custom Retrofit Program.

• Building Optimization Program

  Efficiency Nova Scotia

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Funding for building recommissioning (RCx) measures to evaluate, tune up, and optimize building systems for maximum performance.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Existing facilities equipped with a Building Automation System (BAS) that haven’t been recommissioned in the last 3 years.

  Learn more about the Building Optimization Program.

• Pay for Performance (P4P) Program

  Efficiency Nova Scotia

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Incentives are based on a building’s realized energy performance verified at the meter and paid upon verification of at least a 10% reduction in electrical energy consumption.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Facilities must consume at least 1,000,000 kWh annually. Up to five buildings can be combined to meet this requirement.

  Learn more about the Pay for Performance (P4P) Program.

• Business Energy Rebates

  Efficiency Nova Scotia

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Get rebates Before You Buy, at the counter, or After You Buy with mail-in and instant rebates for high-efficiency products such as commercial lighting or pumping systems.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Available to commercial, institutional, and multi-unit residential projects for both retrofits and new builds.

  Learn more about the Business Energy Rebates Program.

• Manitoba Schools Lighting Initiative

  Efficiency Manitoba

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Limited-time initiative offering funding for retrofitting K-12 school buildings with energy-efficient LED fixtures and smart controls.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Public K-12 schools across Manitoba, covering urban, rural, northern, and First Nation communities via Expressions of Interest.

  Learn more about the Manitoba Schools Lighting Initiative.

• Commercial Energy Audit Program

  Efficiency Manitoba

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Grants to offset the costs of hiring a qualified professional engineer to conduct an energy audit and identify savings paths.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities located within Manitoba.

  Learn more about the Commercial Energy Audit Program.

• New Buildings Program

  Efficiency Manitoba

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Incentives to support the design, energy modeling, and construction of highly efficient new commercial/institutional buildings or expansions.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  New construction projects built to be at least 5% more efficient than the National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB) 2020 baseline.

  Learn more about the New Buildings Program.

• Commercial Buildings Retrofit Program

  NB Power (Énergie NB)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Energy audits, feasibility studies, and deep retrofits (HVAC, lighting controls, and envelope upgrades) including fuel-switching.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Institutional facilities, including public schools and university campuses.

• Commercial Retrofit Program / Business Energy Rebates

  efficiencyPEI

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Tailored for large facilities looking to slash demand. Covers major mechanical upgrades, lighting, and smart building systems. Also covers feasibility studies.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Institutional and non-profit facilities with a minimum annual electrical consumption of 350,000 kWh/year.

• Commercial Space and Water Heating Rebate Program

  SaskEnergy / SaskPower

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Prescriptive equipment rebates for replacing aging infrastructure with premium high-efficiency systems (condensing boilers, furnaces, HRV/ERV, infrared heaters).

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Registered commercial and municipal/institutional accounts in Saskatchewan.

• Capital Asset Retrofit Fund (CARF) & Commercial Energy Conservation Program

  Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) & Arctic Energy Alliance (AEA)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Biomass (wood pellet) boiler conversions, LED lighting overhaul, high-performance insulation, and window replacements.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Public sector assets, including community and regional NWT schools.

• Good Energy Rebates (Commercial Stream)

  Government of Yukon (Energy Branch)

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Incentives for institutional building envelope retrofits, mechanical system updates, commercial-scale solar array installations, and electric school bus charging infrastructure.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Institutional and commercial building owners across Yukon.

• Nunavut Energy Management Program

  Community & Government Services / Federal Northern REACHE Program

  Grant / Incentive Scope & Eligible Measures:
  Large-scale energy management contracts focused on deep retrofits, solar integration, and automated controls to maximize heat retention in arctic environments.

  Key Eligibility Requirements:
  Government-managed infrastructure and community educational facilities.