Grant
Provincial
Between Intakes
ERA Strategic Energy Management Initiative — Capital Retrofits (SEMI)
Emissions Reduction Alberta (SEMI — Strategic Energy Management Initiative)
Maximum Funding
Up to $1,000,000
Intake closed March 2, 2026; waitlist open for new applicants. No new intake ...
Difficulty
Hard
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
—
Co-Funding
50%
ERA Strategic Energy Management Initiative — Capital Retrofits (SEMI) provides Up to $1,000,000 per parent company per intake (non-repayable). Non-repayable funding for Alberta industrial facilities installing proven energy-efficiency retrofits — process electrification, heat-pumps, waste-heat recovery, variable frequency drives, building-envelope upgrades, and high-efficiency motors. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Intake closed March 2, 2026; waitlist open for new applicants. No new intake announced as of June 2026 — monitor eralberta.ca/semi/capital-retrofits/ for updates..
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Eligibility & Details
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Program Description
Non-repayable funding for Alberta industrial facilities installing proven energy-efficiency retrofits — process electrification, heat-pumps, waste-heat recovery, variable frequency drives, building-envelope upgrades, and high-efficiency motors. Program restructured in 2026 from rolling first-come-first-served to a fixed competitive intake scored primarily on abatement cost ($ per tonne CO₂e). The 2026 intake closed March 2; no new intake has been announced for later 2026 — waitlisted projects may still be funded if additional dollars become available.
Eligibility Requirements
- Alberta-based industrial, commercial, or institutional facility
- Project must achieve a minimum 5% energy savings (site level or targeted system)
- Feasibility study or equivalent technical assessment meeting SEMI minimum quality standards
- Realistic installation schedule with completion by March 31, 2027
- Detailed project budget and measurable emissions-reduction benefits
- Applicant (or parent company) signs the Funding Recipient Agreement (FRA) Participant Terms and Conditions
- Indigenous-led and not-for-profit applicants are evaluated in a separate scoring stream for fairness
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Hard
Competition
High
First-Timer
Not rated
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $1,000,000 per parent company per intake (non-repayable)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Intake closed March 2, 2026; waitlist open for new applicants. No new intake announced as of June 2026 — monitor eralberta.ca/semi/capital-retrofits/ for updates.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
High
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Moderate
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipThe 2026 scoring model rewards low abatement cost ($/tCO₂e) above almost everything else — the cheapest-to-abate projects rise to the top.
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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The pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win SEMI
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 8-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 6-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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6 steps
8 docs
Application Steps
1
Check for Open Intake As of June 2026, no new intake is open. The 2026 fixed intake closed March 2, 2026. The program is currently in a waitlist phase — new applicants may register interest via the SEMI portal at portal.semiprogram.ca. Monitor eralberta.ca/semi/capital-retrofits/ for any new intake announcements.
Required Documents 8
✓ Completed SEMI Portal application
✓ Feasibility study or engineering assessment meeting SEMI quality standards
Eligible Expenses 7
Ineligible Expenses 6
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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4 partners
Compatible Programs
Canada Greener Homes / Greener Buildings (NRCan)
Canada Infrastructure Bank — Building Retrofits Initiative
SR&ED Tax Credits
Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC)
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Medium Risk
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How SEMI Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERA Strategic Energy Management Initi... | Up to $1,000,000 | Hard | Reimbursement | Intake closed March 2,... |
| Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... | Minimum $10 million contribution | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing — continuous... |
| CanExport SMEs | Up to $50,000 | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Between intakes — the... |
| Ocean Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Call-specific — no open... |
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Related Programs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about SEMI
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Can I apply if my project is under 5% energy savings?
No — projects must achieve a minimum 5% energy savings (site level or targeted system) to qualify. Projects below this threshold are automatically rejected, even with strong abatement cost.
What's the typical approval amount for a small retrofit?
Typical approvals range $100,000–$750,000, covering 25%–50% of installed capital cost. The $1M cap applies only to large multi-facility or process-electrification projects.
Do I need to pay upfront for equipment?
Yes — SEMI is a reimbursement grant. You pay for equipment upfront, then submit receipts for 25%–50% of the cost after installation (with matching funds required).
Can I stack SEMI with Canada Greener Homes?
Yes — federal envelope and heat-pump programs (e.g., Greener Homes) can stack on different cost categories, but total government support remains capped.
Why do most applications fail?
High abatement cost ($/tCO₂e) relative to other applicants is the #1 reason. Projects with a ratio over $200/tCO₂e rarely succeed in competitive intakes.
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Full Playbook: SEMI
6 steps · 8 docs · reviewer insights