Door-to-Door Solar Sales
IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT Alberta Municipalities advocate to the Government of Alberta to enhance regulatory oversight for door-to-door solar PV sales, and to engage with Alberta Municipalities and the solar PV industry to protect consumers from misinformation regarding municipal CEIP programs.
WHEREAS the Government of Alberta’s Clean Energy Improvements Regulation enables municipalities to establish Clean Energy Improvement Programs (CEIP) that provide for the financing of specific residential and commercial energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades, including insulation, heating and cooling systems, and solar photovoltaic panels (solar PV);
WHEREAS CEIP participation is contingent upon compliance with specific program requirements, including the use of approved contractors and eligible energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades and products;
WHEREAS the Government of Alberta introduced consumer protection measures in 2017 to restrict door-to-door sales of specific “household energy products,” including furnaces, water heaters, windows and air conditioners;
WHEREAS these restrictions do not include solar PV systems, resulting in solar PV contractors being exempt from the door-to-door sales prohibitions that apply to other contractors that deliver CEIP-financed products for Albertans; and
WHEREAS this regulatory gap has contributed to misinformation being shared regarding CEIP eligibility and financing terms, contributing to consumer confusion and financial misunderstanding, and placing additional administrative burden on municipalities delivering CEIP programs.
BACKGROUND:
The Government of Alberta's Clean Energy Improvements Regulation came into force in January 2019, which allowed for the implementation of Alberta Municipalities’ Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP). CEIP is an innovative financing tool that enables residential and commercial property owners in municipalities that pass a clean energy improvement tax bylaw to access long-term financing to fund energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades, and to pay it off over long-term through their property tax bill.
As of 2026, 29 municipalities are running active CEIP programs across Alberta, with over 1,000 projects being completed and $125 million in financing being made available. Upgrades such as insulation, windows/doors, heat pumps, and solar PV installations are some of the eligible products covered by CEIP. This injection of funding into the home upgrade market has boosted economic activity and financial opportunities in the home contracting trades; over 675 Albertan contractors have been designated as “CEIP Qualified Contractors,” which include electricians, plumbing & HVAC contractors, and solar PV contractors among others.
However, regulatory gaps within the Consumer Protection Act have created an uneven playing field among CEIP contractors and increased the risk of misinformation regarding program eligibility and financing terms. Of particular relevance is the fact that certain door-to-door sales activities were banned by the Government of Alberta in 2017, however this ban only applied to the following specific “household energy products”:
- Furnaces
- Natural gas and electricity energy contracts
- Water heaters
- Windows
- Air conditioners
- Energy audits
Although this ban covers the majority of contractors that deliver CEIP upgrades, it does not cover solar PV contractors, meaning these contractors do not have the same restrictions and can engage in door-to-door sales activities.
In addition to the consequences of creating an uneven playing field for CEIP contractors, this regulatory gap also creates financial strain on municipalities, as many municipalities with CEIP programs have needed to direct more staff resources to handling resident inquiries and complaints regarding information provided to them by solar PV contractors performing unsolicited door-to-door sales.
This resolution seeks to ensure solar PV contractors are subject to comparable consumer protection standards as other home energy contractors participating in CEIP programs. This will protect Alberta consumers, support fair market conditions, and reduce associated administrative burdens on municipalities that must correct misinformation on CEIP program criteria and eligibility.
ABmunis is preparing correspondence to the appropriate ministry