Rénoclimat air exchanger grant: $500, on one condition
Québec pays $500 per heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy recovery ventilator (ERV) listed in Section 3 of the HVI directory. The condition: your EnerGuide rating must improve between two evaluations. Installed alone, an HRV can lower it. Here is how to actually get the $500.
installed or replaced, listed in Section 3 of the HVI directory
if a grant is paid; you keep paying the $22.46 in tax
hence a whole project, not the HRV alone
An air exchanger, or HRV, brings in fresh air and keeps your heat
The Rénoclimat guide puts it this way: a ventilation system removes moisture and pollutants, and an HRV does it “without increasing the energy bill too much.”
vänEE V150H75NT · sensible recovery at 0 °C (HVI) · 18 W
In winter, an HRV captures heat from the stale air going out and uses it to preheat the fresh air coming in. The two streams cross in the core without mixing.
Compare a few models’ efficiency
Source: Natural Resources Canada, Heat and energy recovery ventilators (Oct. 7, 2025); Rénoclimat guide, table 9.
Does your case qualify? Seven questions, one verdict
Each question comes from the program’s official conditions. Any blocking answer is explained.
01Do you own the home?
02What type of home?
03Built and lived in for at least 12 months?
04Has the work already started?
05Is the model in Section 3 of the HVI directory?
06Other energy-saving work planned?
07Where will the ducts run?
What Rénoclimat pays you, line by line
Floor area, model, home, paired work: every choice updates the total. The models come from our catalogue, with HVI numbers checked on September 23, 2026.
1. Living area
2. Unit type
3. A model from our catalogue
4. Home
5. Airtightness (by the contractor of your choice)
The air-change target is in your pre-retrofit evaluation report.
6. Attic insulation (by the contractor of your choice)
7. Your city
Repentigny and Varennes top up the Rénoclimat cheque. No other municipal program found in Greater Montréal as of September 22, 2026.
The trap: an HRV alone can lower your EnerGuide rating
The Rénoclimat guide puts it in a box: “An HRV must always be accompanied.” Here is why, and the project that works.
What the guide says
“If you only install a heat recovery ventilator without completing other energy efficiency retrofits, your home’s energy consumption may increase, making you ineligible for Rénoclimat financial assistance.”
Participant’s guide, section 4.4
Why
An HRV brings in fresh air continuously and its motors use electricity. It recovers part of the heat in the air it exhausts, not all of it: the best models on our list show 84% at 0 °C per HVI.
The fix
Seal air leaks (airtightness) or insulate at the same time. Uncontrolled leaks are replaced by controlled ventilation that recovers heat. That is the “overall project” the guide recommends.
Four projects for one house, possible Rénoclimat grant
Guide amounts for a house, with insulation over 100% of the attic area. The program publishes no savings percentage: only the post-retrofit evaluation decides.
What Rénoclimat pays, and who does what
The HRV and the work that pairs best with it, with the amounts of the guide in force. AirGreen installs air exchangers; the rest is done by the contractor of your choice.
Other amounts (exterior walls, crawl space, exposed floor, multipliers per unit): our full Rénoclimat page.
Duplexes, triplexes and small buildings
$500 per unit installed, up to one per dwelling, for buildings of 3 storeys or less above ground and a 600 m² footprint or less. Québec.ca example: replacing 4 HRVs in an 8-unit building gives $2,000.
Caps
$20,000 per house; $40,000 for a duplex, triplex or multi-unit building, cumulative over the life of the program. In a condo, the syndicate registers the whole building.
The evaluation is not free, but nearly
The $150 for the first evaluation comes back with the grant. The tax does not. And if no grant is paid, nothing comes back.
Source: Québec.ca, evaluation fees (May 29, 2025); guide, table 12.
Evaluation, work, evaluation, cheque: your dates
Enter the day you apply. The delays come from the guide and Québec.ca; they are maximums, not appointments.
Length of the work
- 1Evaluation requestDay 0Online form or 1-866-266-0008. Evaluation: $150 + tax.
- 2Advisor visit≤ 3 weeksCall within 3 weeks. A 2 to 3 h visit with a blower door test.
- 3Report and advice≈ 2 weeksAbout 2 weeks after the visit: EnerGuide rating, airtightness target, recommendations and a list of the most effective retrofits.
- 4The workDepends on projectHRV + airtightness or insulation. Keep invoices, photos, labels.
- 5Post-retrofit evaluation≤ 3 weeksFree. Call within 3 weeks. Show your proof.
- 6Cheque8 to 12 weeks8 to 10 weeks per the guide, plus about 2 weeks of mail per Québec.ca.
Do not start anything before the visit: work begun before the first evaluation is not eligible. Wait for the report, which gives the airtightness target. Delays can grow in the busy season: apply early.
Who does the evaluation in Greater Montréal
Rénoclimat customer service: 1-866-266-0008, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., renseignements.te@environnement.gouv.qc.ca.
Units whose HVI number was checked
All 85 HVI numbers in our catalogue are in Section III of the directory, with the same airflow, efficiency and power. Here is a selection, then a search of the whole catalogue.
Airflow, efficiency and power: HVI directory, Section III (current as of September 2, 2026). Area: indicative estimate at 0.35 air changes per hour and 9 ft ceilings; the estimator sizes airflow room by room (CSA F326). The Venmar AVS A130H65RT uses the data of its V130H65RT twin, but no HVI number is published under its own name.
Our catalogue as of September 23, 2026
85 models with a verified HVI Section 3 number
64 models to confirm
“To confirm” does not mean refused: the directory does not publish that model name. Several Venmar AVS “A…” units have a listed “V…” twin; the manufacturer must confirm they are the same. We check before you order.
What to show the advisor
The post-retrofit evaluation is based on proof. The guide asks you to keep “invoices, photos, manufacturer labels.” Tick them off as you go.
Your file
0 / 7
The exchanger invoice does not need an NRCan number: that rule in the guide is for ENERGY STAR doors and windows. For the HRV, what counts is HVI directory Section 3.
Eight ways to lose the $500
Drawn from the participant’s guide and official pages. Most are solved before the first screw goes in.
A clean HRV keeps its efficiency
The Natural Resources Canada schedule. A dirty or unbalanced unit recovers less heat.
Filters
Clean the filters inside the unit.
Core
Inspect the core and clean it as needed.
Drain
Check that the condensate drain and tubing flow freely.
Outdoor hoods
Clear snow, leaves and debris from the screens.
Full service
General servicing by a qualified contractor; airflow must stay balanced.
Need a hand? Our air exchanger cleaning service · Air exchanger repair. Source: NRCan, Heat Recovery Ventilators (revised February 2012).
Rénoclimat is not the 2023 program anymore
Many pages, including old government pages, still show the old rules. Here are the dates that matter and the corrections.
We recommend checking at the source: programs and their criteria change often. Rénoclimat customer service: 1-866-266-0008.
The HRV is only one piece of the project
Who pays for what in a project built around the HRV, then each program’s page.
$0 from Rénoclimat since May 1, 2024
Hydro-Québec’s LogisVert pays for heat pumps based on their capacity at -8 °C.
See the LogisVert grantUp to $20,000 per house
Every Rénoclimat amount, from insulation to windows, with our calculator.
See the Rénoclimat grantHRVs and ERVs, 7 brands
Each product page shows airflow, efficiency and the HVI number when verified.
See the collectionRénoclimat air exchanger grant: short answers
What we are asked most about Rénoclimat’s $500 for an HRV or ERV.
How much does Rénoclimat pay for an air exchanger?
$500 per heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy recovery ventilator (ERV), for an installation or a replacement. The unit must be listed in Section 3 of the HVI directory.
Does replacing an old HRV count?
Yes. The guide says “installation or replacement.” The same condition applies: the EnerGuide rating must improve between the two evaluations.
Why can an HRV alone cost me the grant?
The guide warns that an HRV installed without other energy retrofits can raise the home’s consumption. Without a better EnerGuide rating, no grant is paid. Pair it with airtightness, insulation or windows.
Is an ERV eligible like an HRV?
Yes. Table 9 of the guide covers both HRVs and ERVs, at $500 each, if they are recovery-type units listed in HVI directory Section 3.
How much does the EnerGuide evaluation cost?
The pre-retrofit evaluation costs $150 plus tax. The $150 is refunded if a grant is paid; the $22.46 in tax is not. The post-retrofit evaluation is free.
What does the pre-retrofit evaluation give me?
A Rénoclimat advisor visits the home for 2 to 3 hours, runs a blower door test and gives you personalized advice. You get a report with recommendations, a list of the most effective retrofits, your EnerGuide rating and the airtightness target to reach.
Is there a deadline to do the work?
No. The guide sets no maximum delay other than the end of the program. However, any work started before the first evaluation is not eligible.
When will I get the cheque?
The guide says 8 to 10 weeks after the post-retrofit evaluation. Québec.ca adds about 2 weeks for mail. The main owner’s social insurance number is asked for by phone.
I have a duplex or triplex. How many HRVs are paid?
$500 per unit, up to one per dwelling. Québec.ca example: 4 HRVs replaced in an 8-unit building give $2,000.
I live in a condo. Can I apply on my own?
No. The evaluation covers the whole building and registration is in the condo syndicate’s name.
Do I need a contractor?
The program does not require one, but the law requires a licensed contractor for some work. AirGreen holds RBQ licence 5645-9605-01 with subclass 15.8 Ventilation.
What about my heat pump?
Rénoclimat stopped paying for heat pumps on May 1, 2024. They are covered by Hydro-Québec’s LogisVert.
Is my model eligible?
It must be listed in HVI directory Section 3. On airgreen.ca, the HVI number appears on the page of every verified unit. Without a number, we check before you order.
Who does the evaluation in Montréal and Laval?
Énergie3R (1-866-253-8850). In Montérégie: Legault-Dubois (1-877-286-0550). In Laurentides and Lanaudière: ExpertBâtiment (1-844-575-5123). You can also go through customer service at 1-866-266-0008.
Does my city add money?
Repentigny adds 25% of the Rénoclimat cheque, up to $500, within 12 months of the cheque. Varennes adds 25% if the rating rises by at least 1 point, for applications before December 31, 2026. No other municipal program found in Greater Montréal as of September 22, 2026.
The right air exchanger, properly installed, in a project that passes the evaluation
Healthy air, a more comfortable home that uses less energy, and the $500 at the end. We install and replace HRVs and ERVs, electrical included. Airtightness and insulation are done by the contractor of your choice.
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