Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator Program (RARA)

Building owners with rental apartments in British Columbia are eligible to access a suite of energy efficiency and decarbonization retrofit planning support services.  The program provides expert guidance from professional engineers throughout every stage of the retrofit process.

Register Here

Coaching Support, Energy Studies and Implementation Support

Participants with qualified buildings may be able to receive FREE:

  • Retrofit coaching support: Support throughout the project and assistance with identifying and accessing incentive funding.
  • Identification of Retrofit Opportunities & Energy Efficiency Opportunities: A screening report and follow-up call from our engineers and energy specialists to discuss potential retrofit & energy efficiency options and available incentives.
  • Energy Benchmarking: Energy and emissions tracking through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Setup included.
  • Options Study: A summary of priority retrofit and energy efficiency opportunities, with estimated energy savings, project costs, and identification of applicable incentives, rebates, and tax credits/exemptions.
  • Feasibility Study: A detailed engineering analysis and pre-design of electrical and mechanical aspects required for the selected retrofit to provide a business case, including detailed costs, savings, and incentives. The study will also provide a general decarbonization plan for the building.
  • Retrofit Implementation Support: Ongoing building retrofit support from experienced professional engineers and project managers through the planning, design and implementation phases.

Incentives and Funding:

For all buildings/locations in BC, the RARA program will help align your building with available incentives and tax credits.

Other Available Incentives and Tax Credits include:

  • District of Saanich and City of Victoria Property Tax Exemption: A municipal property tax exemption offer, covering up to 100% of the retrofit costs. Eligible retrofits include space heating, water heating, ventilation and other building retrofits.
  • Clean Technology (CT) Investment Tax Credit (ITC): A refundable federal tax credit of up to 30% for new clean technology investments.
  • BC Hydro Solar and Battery Storage Rebate Program: Offers incentives and guidance for installing solar panels and battery storage systems for MURBs, helping reduce electricity costs and increase energy independence.
    1. Solar Panels: Up to $25,000 rebate ($1,000 per kW, capped at 50% of the total cost).
    2. Battery Storage Systems: Up to $25,000 rebate ($500 per kWh, capped at 50% of the total cost, minimum 5 kWh storage).
  • Clean Buildings Tax Credit: A 5% refundable income tax credit for qualifying retrofits that improve energy efficiency. Eligible retrofits include heat pumps, lighting, fans, envelope upgrades, and more.
  • Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation CMHC MLI Select Program: An innovative multi-unit mortgage loan insurance product focused on affordability, accessibility, and climate compatibility.

 

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 with an active natural gas utility account and gas-fired mechanical equipment interested in replacing with a low-carbon alternative, or
  • Or Buildings with an active BC Hydro account.
  • 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.
  • Participant recruitment: June 2024 – March 2025 or until fully subscribed
  • 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.