Reduce impervious surfaces and the impact of stormwater runoff.

The Rain Ready Rebate, funded by the City of Hamilton, provides funding to residents who install approved Low Impact Development (LID) projects such as rain gardens and permeable surfaces. Applicants can apply for two funding tiers: up to $1,500, and up to $5,000. Visit our FAQ section of this page to see what is eligible within the two tiers. 

A limited number of projects will be funded in 2026.

Projects are selected if they meet program requirements and will be assessed on the expected impact to stormwater management.

The 2026 Application Period:

The 2026 application is set to open early March 2026. Rain Ready events and education workshops will take place from February to April 2026. Sign up to our newsletter to be notified when these events are open for sign up or check out our event calendar below! 

What is Low Impact Development?

Who can apply?

How to apply for a rebate

What is eligible?

What is Low Impact Development?

Low Impact Development or LID is an approach to land development that mimics the natural movement of water in order to manage stormwater close to where the rain falls. LID uses small, simple design techniques and landscape features that filter, infiltrate, store, evaporate, and detain rainwater and runoff at the lot level. Examples of these types of projects include: rain gardens, permeable driveways, rainwater harvesting systems, etc.

Property owners can make changes in their own yards to help reduce flooding and water pollution, and increase biodiversity!

Who can apply?

  • The proposed project is within the city of Hamilton.
  • You can complete the project in 2026 with forms submitted by October 31st.
  • You are the property owner of the residence, or you have written permission from the owner allowing you to carry out the project.
  • You attended at least one of Green Venture's Rain Ready educational sessions. (Please contact [email protected] for recordings)

How to apply for a rebate

  1. Attend one of Green Venture's Educational offerings: Participants must attend either an Ask the Expert Open House, our Rain Ready Hamilton Webinar Series, or other online or in person workshops. It is strongly encouraged that applicants utilize as many of these resources as possible. Recordings are available by request for the Rain Ready Webinar Series. 
  2. Apply For the Rebate Program: Application link will be live March 2nd.
  3. Book Your One-on-One Consultations: Pre approved applicants will receive a follow-up from Green Venture staff to either book an in-person consultation with our Rain Coach or a virtual appointment to discuss their project more in depth, as needed.
  4. Complete Your Project Milestones: Our team will let you know when check-in dates are approaching, remind you of expense tracking and to take progress photos along the way.
  5. Celebrate Your Project: After submitting project completion photos, our expense tracker and receipts, we mail your "Rain Cheque" for reimbursing you for eligible expenses. We also offer a complimentary lawn sign to share with your neighbourhood more about this program and why LID matters. Please note we will also be conducting randomized in-person verification checks of projects. 

What is eligible?

Eligible materials

  • Native plants
  • Natural mulch
  • Stone, sand, rocks
  • Garden edging
  • Soil and compost
  • Grid systems
  • Permeable surfaces for driveways, sidewalks, paths and patios
  • Rainwater harvesting equipment: rain barrels, downspout diverters, etc.
  • Structural plant supports
  • Downspout splash pads
  • Downspout extenders

Other eligible fees

  • Landscaping fees
  • Garden design
  • Soil testing
  • Other professional fees (engineer, architect, landscape architect)
  • permit/locates
  • Excavation fees
  • Stump removals up to $500 (must be impacting project design)
  • Material disposals up to $100
  • Downspout relocation, addition, and disconnection up to $500 (soffits, eaves, and gutters not eligible) 

If you do not see an expense listed, please reach out to us at [email protected] to confirm eligibility. 

Have More Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

Supporting Documents

Landlord Pitch Document

My Maintenance Calendar

Rain Ready Application Guide 2025

Rain Ready Site Plan Worksheet

Residential LID Monitoring Checklist

Sample Letter of Permission for Tenants

Site Conditions and Analysis Checklist

Scroll and click through our past rebate project examples

Upcoming Events

We encourage you to attend our upcoming Rain Ready Hamilton events. Applicants who attend multiple events score well on our application prioritization rubric. If you are not able to attend virtual events, please contact us at [email protected] for a recording.

There are currently no events scheduled. Be sure to check back soon!

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EcoHouse

Email:
Phone: 905-540-8787
Address:
22 Veevers Drive
Hamilton, Ontario
L8K 5P5