If you have CMHC mortgage insurance and you’re planning to make your home more energy efficient, there’s money waiting for you—and it’s not from a temporary government program. The CMHC mortgage insurance premium refund for energy-efficient homes is a permanent program once you lock it in that can return 25% of your mortgage insurance premium when you … Read more

You’ve turned up the thermostat. You’ve added a space heater. You’ve put plastic film over the windows. And still, that one room is always cold, the floors are uncomfortable, and you’re wearing a sweater indoors in January. You’re not imagining it. And turning up the heat more isn’t the answer—you’re just paying more to heat … Read more

You’ve submitted permits in BC for years. You know the process. But Step Code documentation keeps coming back with requests for information, corrections, or outright rejections. Every resubmission means carrying costs. Delayed starts. Rescheduled trades. Frustrated clients. The irony is that most Step Code rejections aren’t about failing to meet the energy targets—they’re about documentation … Read more

If you’re planning a major renovation in the City of Vancouver, you’ve probably heard about REUP—the Renovation Energy Update Program. And if you’ve tried to understand the requirements, you’ve probably been confused by outdated information, conflicting advice, and unclear thresholds. Good news: the program was simplified in September 2025. But there are still requirements that … Read more

If you’re a BC homeowner still heating with natural gas or electric baseboards, 2026 might be the year you seriously consider a heat pump. Not because someone told you to—but because the economics, regulations, and technology have all shifted in ways that make heat pumps the obvious choice for most homes. But “obvious” doesn’t mean … Read more

If you submitted a Greener Homes Loan application before the October 1st, 2025 deadline, you’re probably wondering what’s happening with your file. The short answer: it’s coming, but it’s taking a while. Current Processing Times Due to the high volume of applications submitted just before the deadline, processing times have been averaging 3-4 months. This … Read more

ARG Energy is now a registered Energy Advisor member of BC’s Home Performance Contractor Network (HPCN). We’re proud to be one of the first Energy Advisor firms in the City of Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast, and several other Greater Vancouver municipalities to achieve HPCN registration. What Is the Home Performance Contractor Network? The HPCN program … Read more