Alberta homeowners offered up to $3,500 for energy-efficient renos

Alberta homeowners who are planning to upgrade their homes with new insulation, triple-glazed windows ortankless water heaters this spring can qualify for a new rebate worth up to $3,500.

People can get back as much as $1,000 on a water heating system, $1,500 on window upgrades and a maximum of $3,500 for insulation.

Details of the program were posted onthe Energy Efficiency Alberta website. The site went offline Tuesday afternoon due to "high volumes," Alberta Environment said in a tweet.

People can qualify for the rebate as long as they use approved Alberta contractors who will will be listed on the Energy Efficiency Alberta websiteon April 28, the day the program launches.

To be listed, contractors mustbe registered in Alberta andhave at leastthree years' experience and Workers' Compensation coverage for their employees. They also have to take a course on how to explain the program to homeowners and help them with the paperwork.

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The homeowner rebates will be administered by Summerhill, an Ontario energy efficiency company with 25 years of experience.

The government says the company won the $5-million, two-year contract through a request for proposals. No bids were received from Alberta companies.

"Alberta is new to energy-efficiency program implementation and therefore there is not a deep bench of experienced providers available in the province at this point in time," said Monica Curtis, chief executive officer of Energy Efficiency Alberta.

The home improvement rebate is one part of the $24-million Residential Retail Products Program.

More parts of the program will be announced in the coming weeks.