If money is tight, a draughty house or a dying furnace can feel like a problem with no good answer — you can't afford the upgrade, and you can't afford the heating bill either. In Manitoba there's a way out that a lot of people don't know exists: for income-qualified households, many of the same upgrades that other homeowners pay for come free, with no upfront cost.
After more than a decade in construction and renovations, I've seen how much a properly insulated, well-sealed home changes daily comfort — and how much it cuts a winter bill. Here's a straight-talking guide to the free and low-cost programs, who qualifies in 2026, and how to apply. I'm a real estate agent, not the program administrator — Efficiency Manitoba runs these — so always confirm the current details with them before you count on anything.
The main program: EEAP
The big one is the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program (EEAP), run by Efficiency Manitoba. It's built specifically for households with limited income, and the whole point is that you don't pay out of pocket. Registered contractors do the work and invoice Efficiency Manitoba directly — you're not asked to front the cash and wait for a rebate.
What you get for free
For income-qualified households, EEAP covers a long list at no upfront cost:
- A free in-home energy assessment to find where your home is losing heat
- Free attic, wall, and basement insulation retrofits
- A free ENERGY STAR smart thermostat
- Free LED bulbs, low-flow showerheads, aerators, and air-sealing (draft-proofing)
- A free air-source or ground-source heat pump when you're replacing an electric heating system — an electric furnace, baseboards, or electric boiler
Insulation and air-sealing are the least glamorous items on that list and, in our climate, often the most valuable — they pay you back every single winter.
What's discounted rather than free
A few items aren't free but come on very favourable terms:
- A high-efficiency natural gas furnace on no-upfront-cost monthly payments: $9.50/month for 5 years when replacing a standard-efficiency furnace, or $25/month for 5 years from a mid-efficiency one
- A $5,000 rebate toward a high-efficiency natural gas boiler
- $300 per ENERGY STAR triple-pane window or door — higher than the standard rebate other homeowners get
Note the split: if you heat with electricity, the heat pump can be free; if you heat with natural gas, you're looking at the discounted furnace and boiler paths instead.
The 2026 income limits
Eligibility is based on your total household income before deductions and how many people live in the home. Here are the 2026 limits:
| Household size | Maximum annual income (before deductions) |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $46,264 |
| 2 people | $57,595 |
| 3 people | $70,806 |
| 4 people | $85,968 |
| 5 people | $97,504 |
| 6 people | $109,967 |
| 7+ people | $122,432 |
If your income is at or below the limit for your household size, you may qualify. First Nations members can qualify by providing status (a status card or community letter). Either way, income verification is required — Efficiency Manitoba confirms eligibility for the people in the home before the work goes ahead.
The home generally needs to be a single-detached or semi-detached house, occupied year-round. There's a stream for renters and landlords of qualifying rentals too, so it's worth asking even if you don't own.
Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program
There's also a second route worth knowing about: the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program. It's federally funded but delivered in Manitoba by Efficiency Manitoba, and it works much the same way — free, direct-install retrofits like insulation, air sealing, and heat pumps for low- and median-income households at no upfront cost.
This program replaced the old (now closed) Greener Homes Grant, and the income thresholds and intake details are set by Efficiency Manitoba. Because it's still rolling out, confirm the current intake status before you count on it — but if it's open when you apply, it's another path to the same kind of free upgrades.
How to apply
The process is refreshingly simple compared with most rebates, because Efficiency Manitoba does the heavy lifting:
- Contact Efficiency Manitoba and ask about the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program (and whether Greener Homes Affordability intake is open).
- Confirm your eligibility — have your household income details ready, and your status documentation if you're a First Nations member.
- Book the in-home energy assessment — this is free and tells everyone what your home actually needs.
- Let the registered contractors do the work — they install the upgrades and invoice Efficiency Manitoba directly, so there's no upfront bill to you.
That's the whole appeal: no big cheque, no waiting months for a refund. The income check is the main gate, and once you're through it the upgrades land at your door.
This is general information, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Income limits, eligibility, and program intake change every year and may have been updated since this was published — always confirm the current details directly with Efficiency Manitoba before you apply or count on a program.
Not sure where your household stands?
These programs can quietly change how a home feels to live in — warmer, cheaper to heat, and easier to sell down the road. With a contractor's eye, I'm happy to help you figure out which upgrades would matter most for your place, whether you're staying put or thinking ahead to a move.
Reach out for a free, no-obligation chat — honest answers from a local agent who knows Winnipeg homes inside and out. — Pavel Streltsov, Real Broker Manitoba Ltd.