A short daily for homeowners in the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario: one renovation question answered, new rebates and benefits with their deadlines, product recalls and weather alerts that matter at home.
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Question of the Day
There is a soffit or bulkhead above my cabinets — what do I do with it?
Three options: work under it with 30″ uppers, trim up to it so it reads as intentional, or take it out and run cabinets to the ceiling. Before you swing a hammer, know what is inside: soffits routinely hide ducts, plumbing stacks and wiring, and finding out mid-demolition changes the project.
Hamilton’s Protective Plumbing Program gives owners of single-family homes built before January 1, 2012, with a basement connected to City sewers, a grant of up to $2,000 for a backwater valve and other flood-reduction work such as disconnecting downspouts. If your contractor is not on the City’s pre-qualified list, the backwater valve grant is capped at $500. A loan of up to $2,000 at 4% for the full term is also available.
City of Hamilton — Protective Plumbing Program · Checked 2026-10-20
Durham Region (not Pickering)
Durham Region: home energy loans up to $125,000 at 2%
DeadlineNo end date posted
Durham Greener Homes lends homeowners up to $125,000 for energy upgrades at 2%, repaid over a fixed 15 years on the property tax bill. Pickering is not included, and appliances are not eligible.
Have a smart thermostat? Peak Perks pays $75 to sign up
DeadlineNo end date posted
Save on Energy’s Peak Perks pays $75 (a virtual prepaid Mastercard) when you enrol a smart thermostat, then $20 for each year you stay enrolled, for up to three devices. See the official page for how the program works.
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