The LandlordBC (LLBC) Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator Program is expanding!

Building owners with rental apartments in British Columbia are now eligible to access a suite of decarbonization planning support services designed to accelerate the retrofit and decarbonization of buildings. The program will be supporting building owners to access available incentives, rebates, financing, and tax incentive programs.

Coaching Support, Energy Studies and Implementation Support

Participants with qualifying buildings in the program will receive:

  • Retrofit coaching support.
  • A high-level assessment to identify retrofit opportunities and available incentives/rebates/tax credits and exemptions.
  • Energy Benchmarking for the participating buildings that are not yet set up in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (ESPM).
  • A detailed assessment and preliminary design service (For buildings proceeding with a retrofit)
  • Retrofit implementation support for design and construction to facilitate starting and completing the retrofit project.

Incentives and Funding:

For buildings in the District of Saanich and the City of Victoria, there are Property Tax Exemption Programs that can cover up to 100% of project costs for qualified buildings. For details on the Tax Exemption Programs see

District of SaanichCity of Victoria

For all other buildings/locations in BC, FRESCo will help align your building with other available funding sources/programs.

Who can Apply?

Overall Program Eligibility:

  • Applicants who are LandlordBC members will be given preference wherever possible.
  • Buildings must be market rental buildings located in British Columbia.
  • Buildings must have an active natural gas utility account and gas-fired mechanical equipment interested in replacing with a low-carbon alternative.
  • Owners/managers must be planning to undertake a retrofit that will provide a net decrease in GHGs and result in energy impacts that are measurable and verifiable, and that can be estimated using standard engineering calculations. Priority will be given to owners who seek electrification of a minimum of one mechanical system.
  • For rental properties, no tenants may be evicted or permanently displaced due to improvements completed as part of the Project.

Program Specific Building Eligibility

Victoria’s Additional Eligibility Criteria

  • The building must be located within the boundaries of the City of Victoria.
  • Does not have an active building permit or development permit for revitalization work contemplated under this bylaw.
  • The principal building on the land must be a rental building that:
    1. is between 3 and 6 stories in height
    2. contains a minimum of 10 dwelling units
    3. was built prior to January 1, 2000

Saanich’s Additional Eligibility Criteria

  • The building must be located within the boundaries of the District of Saanich.

Multi-unit residential buildings which meet the following criteria:

  • Each dwelling unit has its principal access from an entrance or hallway common to other dwelling units; and
  • Minimum 3 residential units;

The Rest of British Columbia

  • Buildings must have at least two units in the building sharing a common building entrance and interior hallways.
  • Buildings must be either 4 or more storeys above ground or have a footprint greater than 600m2
  • Owners must have the capacity and financial resources to move forward with a retrofit project that will be completed by March 31, 2017.

Eligible Retrofits

The following retrofits will be considered for support:

  • 1. The retrofit project must replace a fossil-fuel mechanical system with an electric mechanical system (i.e. space heating, water heating
  • 2. Complementary energy efficiency upgrades (e.g., windows or insulation) are eligible if bundled with a mechanical system retrofit.
  • 3. Natural gas backup or hybrid system retrofits are permitted, with program-specific considerations.

The RARA program timelines:

  • Program registration is on a first-come-first-served basis.
  • First round of participant recruitment: May 2024 – July 2024
  • Future rounds of recruitment will be announced based on available program budgets.

To Apply and For Questions

  • To apply please Register Here
  • For more information or to schedule an online meeting to discuss if this program is right for you, please contact [email protected] or call 1.877.335.7042

The RARA program is a LandlordBC initiative, administered in partnership with FRESCo Building Efficiency.