Incentives are available to support the installation of green roofs and cool roofs on Toronto homes and buildings.
Applications are accepted and reviewed on an on-going basis. Please apply before you begin work on your roof.
The City of Toronto established the Eco-Roof Incentive Program to help fund the expansion of green roof and cool roof installations across the city. Known collectively as eco-roofs, these technologies along with other City strategies help to make Toronto more resilient and better adapted to climate change.
Green roofs, also known as living roofs or vegetated roofs, support the growth of vegetation.
Toronto’s Green Roof Bylaw defines a green roof as an extension of an above-grade roof, built on top of a human-made structure, that allows vegetation to grow in a growing medium and which is designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the Toronto Green Roof Construction Standard.
A green roof assembly includes, as a minimum, a root-repellent system, a drainage system, a filtering layer, a growing medium (soil) and plants, and is installed on a waterproof membrane of an applicable roof. Green roof systems are most often installed on a flat roof, but can be installed on a sloped roof with a few additional considerations.
Green roof systems are generally classified as extensive, semi-intensive or intensive. More about green roof types.
A cool roof or white roof is a roofing system with an exterior surface the reflects the sun’s rays and reduces heat build-up from the sun’s thermal energy.
A cool roof can be either a coating applied over an existing roof system or a new waterproofing membrane.
Looking for information on solar roofs? Please visit SolarTO.
Green roofs on existing buildings are also eligible for a Structural Assessment Grant. See information in the next section below.
Applications must be approved prior to commencing any work on the roof. Projects that have started, or are complete, may not be eligible for funding.
All green roof projects must be designed and constructed in conformance with the Toronto Green Roof Construction Standard (Article IV of the Green Roof Bylaw).
A building permit is required for the installation of a green roof. For more information on how to apply for a permit contact the Toronto Building Customer Service Counter closest to you.
The Green Roof Bylaw defines a green roof as “an extension of an above grade roof, built on top of a human-made structure, that allows vegetation to grow in a growing medium and which is designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the Toronto Green Roof Construction Standard.”
Please note: planter boxes on rooftops do not meet the definition of a green roof as they are not an extension of the roofing system.
| Gross Floor Area*
(Size of Building) |
Minimum Coverage of Available Roof Space**
(Size of Green Roof) |
|---|---|
| Less than 4,999m² | 20% |
| 5,000 – 9,999 m² | 30% |
| 10,000 – 14,999m² | 40% |
| 15,000 – 19,999m² | 50% |
| 20,000 m² or greater | 60% |
* Gross Floor Area – The total area (all floors) of a building, above and below average grade, measured from the exterior wall of each floor level, including voids at the level of each floor, such as an atrium, mezzanine, stairwell, escalator, elevator, ventilation duct or utility shaft, but excluding areas used for the purpose of parking or loading.
** Available Roof Space – The total roof area minus areas designated for renewable energy, private terraces, and residential outdoor amenities (to a maximum of 2 square metres per unit).
These documents can up uploaded via the online form or emailed to ecoroof@toronto.ca. The City reserves the right to request additional supporting documentation.
Looking for a Green Roof Professional (GRP) to provide advice and a quote? Green Roofs for Healthy Cities is a member based organization that has a list of qualified GRPs.
Additional funding is available to help offset the cost of a structural assessment to determine if an existing building can carry the additional weight of a green roof.
If the structural engineer determines that the building can support the additional load of a green roof:
A. The applicant installs the green roof – Approved for SAG funding.
B. The applicant does not install the green roof – Not approved for SAG funding.
If the structural engineer determines that the building cannot support the additional load of a green roof:
A. The applicant installs the green roof (with necessary structural amendments) – Approved for SAG funding.
B. The applicant does not install the green roof – Approved for SAG funding.
To be considered for SAG, you must include the following documentation with your green roof funding application:
SAG will equal the cost of the structural assessment or $1,000.00 (whichever is less).
If proceeding with the green roof project, the SAG amount will be added to the green roof grant payment and dispersed as one total amount:
SAG amount + Green roof incentive amount = Total grant amount
If you are interested in applying for a Structural Assessment Grant, please indicate that on your application form.
| Gross Floor Area (Size of Building) |
Minimum Coverage of Available Roof Space (Size of Green Roof) |
|---|---|
| Less than 4,999m² | 20% |
| 5,000 – 9,999m² | 30% |
| 10,000 – 14,999m² | 40% |
| 15,000 – 19,999m² | 50% |
| 20,000 m² or greater | 60% |
Applications must be approved prior to commencing any work on the roof. Projects that have started, or are complete, may not be eligible for funding.
Roofing material or coating system must meet the following criteria:
All cool roof products must also be asbestos and mercury-free; and emit zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ozone-depleting substances (ODSs).
Find a cool roof product that meets our program criteria using the Cool Roof Rating Council’s product directory.
The performance of a cool roof is measured by its ability to reflect solar energy and how efficiently it emits absorbed heat. Three values measure the performance of a cool roof:
Solar Reflectance: Measures the fraction of solar energy reflected by the roof. Values range from 0 to 1 with 1 being the most reflective. Cool roofs reflect more solar energy than conventional roofs. The solar energy that is not reflected is absorbed by the roof.
Emissivity: Sometimes referred to as thermal emittance is the relative ability of the roof surface to radiate absorbed heat. Values range from 0 to 1 with 1 being the most emissive. Cool roofs can emit absorbed heat more efficiently, minimizing heat transfer to the building below.
Solar Reflectance Index (SRI): A value that combines the solar reflectance and thermal emittance of a roof into one value. SRI values for most cool roof materials fall between 0 and 100, although values outside of that range are possible. Roofs with a greater SRI value will be more effective at reflecting and emitting solar energy.
The roof must cover 100 per cent of available roof space (excluding mechanical equipment or other environmental technologies).
Partial retrofits are eligible for funding, however, the goal is to have 100 per cent of the building’s roof area covered with a cool roof. Applications for partial cool roofs must therefore include:
These documents can be uploaded via the online form or emailed to ecoroof@toronto.ca. The City reserves the right to request additional supporting documentation.
Eco-Roof Incentive Program Application Form
For accommodation of special requests and alternative application formats, please contact the Program Manager, Eco-Roof Incentive Program 416-392-1848 or by email at ecoroof@toronto.ca
Have questions about the process? Review the steps provided on this site or contact the Eco-Roof Incentive Program staff at ecoroof@toronto.ca
Applications are accepted and reviewed on an on-going basis. Applications must be approved prior to commencing any work on the roof. Projects that have started, or are complete, may not be eligible for funding.
The form can be completed by the property owner or the roofing contractor. Most roofing contractors will submit the application form on behalf of their clients. If they do not offer, you may wish to ask them to do so.
The City will issue payment upon completion of the project provided that:
Note: The City may request an inspection of the eco-roof by City staff or its agent verifying the installed Eco-Roof has been completed in accordance with the terms and conditions of this program.
The following templates are optional resources to help applicants provide all of the required application information. Download the templates relevant to your application and submit the completed templates with your application.
Review the Eco-Roof Incentive Program Terms and Conditions. For more information contact Program staff at ecoroof@toronto.ca
Since 2009, the Eco-Roof Incentive Program has supported the installation of 627 eco-roof projects and created over 1.14 million square metres of eco-roof space.
Annually, it is estimated that these projects
In 2023, 43 projects were completed, totalling 78,000 square metres of roof space.
Learn more about some of the projects funded by the Eco-Roof Incentive Program:
