FAQs

What is on-bill financing?: On-bill financing refers to the loan service available through the City of Nelson for eligible energy efficiency upgrades or an E-Bike, and will be repaid by the Nelson Hydro customer on their utility bill. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager by calling 250-352-8132.

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EcoSave On-Bill Financing FAQs

1. What is on-bill financing?: On-bill financing refers to the loan service available through the City of Nelson for eligible energy efficiency upgrades or an E-Bike, and will be repaid by the Nelson Hydro customer on their utility bill. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager by calling 250-352-8132.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

own and live in the home within the City of Nelson.
be enrolled in pre-authorized direct withdrawal payment for their residential Nelson Hydro electric bill. [Note: if you are not currently enrolled in a pre-authorized payment plan (i.e. direct withdrawal), please work with a Customer Service Representative in person at City Hall or contact hydroclerk@nelson.ca to enroll.]
have their Nelson Hydro, Property Tax, and Other Utility residential accounts in good standing for up to 2 years.
have two years of credit history, either with Nelson Hydro or another utility.
have all persons listed on the residential land title authorize the loan.
not be a commercial account or property.

The maximum loan amount for an energy retrofit is $16,000 per household. The maximum loan amount for an E-Bike is $8,000 per household.
Choice of 2, 5 or 10-year term (5-year renewal date)
3.5 % fixed interest rate (Interest rate subject to change at the beginning of each year)
A $100 processing fee is charged for energy retrofit loans each time funds are dispersed to the Participant

For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

4. What type(s) of retrofits can be financed?: On-bill financing can be used for any energy efficiency retrofits that are eligible for rebates, with the addition of water conservation type toilets. Other items and costs that provide a positive energy or water reduction may be determined by the EcoSave Program Manager and may be considered eligible for on-bill financing. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

5. Is it mandatory to apply for on-bill financing as a Participant in the EcoSave program?: No. On-bill financing is optional for energy retrofits but mandatory for the E-Bike Program. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

6. What happens if the house sells before the energy retrofit on-bill financing loan is paid off?: The loan will need to be paid in full upon the sale of the house. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

7. Can the loan be paid in part or whole before the end of the term?: Yes, a loan can be paid off early or a lump sum can be applied at any time. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

8. Who pays the energy retrofit contractor?: The contractor is to be paid by the Participant. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

9. Can the Participant complete the energy retrofit work?: Yes. Only the material cost may be financed if the Participant is doing the work, not the labour cost. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

10. Can both a contractor and a Participant complete the energy retrofit work?: Yes. The program forms that need to be filled out have specific areas for contractors and/or Participants. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

11. Can there be more than one energy retrofit contractor?: Yes. It may be necessary to have more than one contractor complete different types of retrofits and at different times. There is a process for receiving progress payments if the work cannot be scheduled in the same time frame. A processing fee of $100 will be applied each time a request for payment is submitted. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

12. How is the credit approval determined?: It will be based on the Nelson Hydro, Property Tax, and Other Utility residential accounts in good standing for up to 2 years and have two years of credit history, either with Nelson Hydro or another utility. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

13. What happens if there is a default on the loan?: The on-bill financing charge will form a component of the Nelson Hydro utility bill and will be subject to the normal utility collection procedures including service disconnects and addition of outstanding amounts to property tax. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

14. Is there a time limit on completing the energy retrofits in order to qualify for on-bill financing?: Yes, it is encouraged that work is completed within 6 months of applying for the loan. In certain situations, approval may be given after this time frame. For more information, please contact the EcoSave Program Manager at 250-352-8132.

15. Do I have to complete a home energy evaluation in order to apply for energy retrofit on-bill financing?: No. Depending on the date, you can use an energy evaluation that was completed outside of the program; you will need to determine if you can still access the current rebate program. Home energy evaluations are encouraged for a number of reasons; however, in some cases approval is granted without one. Contact EcoSave Coordinator for approval. For more information, please call 250-352-8132.

16. How do I apply?: Applications are completed online at https://forms.office.com/r/mi7iTyLey1