Last updated: April 1, 2026
General
ERA is Emissions Reduction Alberta. We previously operated as the Climate Change and Emissions Management (CCEMC) Corporation. ERA is a key partner in implementing Alberta’s climate change strategy. Funding for the Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI program), which comes from the Government of Alberta’s Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) Fund and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), is helping to shape a province with a diverse economy, a healthy environment and a robust innovation ecosystem.
For more information, visit the About ERA web page.
Enerva Energy Solutions Inc. (Enerva) is supporting ERA with the delivery of the Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program. Enerva specializes in the design & delivery of energy efficiency and decarbonization programs for partners and customers across Canada. Its team consists of outreach, technical review, and engineering services professionals with expertise in advanced data analysis, energy modelling, energy saving technologies, and financial analysis, with expertise spanning various industrial sectors and equipment types. Within the SEMI program framework, Enerva will help participants optimize energy performance, reduce energy costs & emissions, and leverage co-funding activities.
The 50001 Ready Canada program recognizes facilities that demonstrate energy management leadership and energy performance improvement. Achieving the 50001 Ready designation requires facilities to self-attest the structure of the ISO 50001 energy management standard and to measure and report energy performance improvement. To date, almost 300 facilities or buildings in Canada have achieved the 50001 Ready status.
50001 Ready status does not indicate that your project conforms to the ISO 50001 standard or that it will pass an ISO 50001 audit. However, a building or facility with a 50001 Ready status is recognized as being in good preparation for ISO 50001 certification.
Participants in SEMI are not required to obtain 50001 Ready status; however, the benefit of working towards 50001 Ready status is that it allows you to maintain and continually improve your facility’s performance by renewing your recognition annually at no cost. The 50001 Ready Navigator tool also provides you with decarbonization management guidance to help you reach your Net Zero goals. This guidance is focused on the organization-level actions that are required to manage energy and energy-related GHG emissions.
Please see the 50001 Ready process flow chart below for additional details:
When you register for the program portal, you will gain access to a list of contractors who have signed up to participate in the SEMI program. Please note that ERA does not endorse any contractors, and we always recommend getting quotes from a minimum of three contractors before proceeding with a project.
Participants (i.e., facility owners) must register on the portal and start their application. Once the application has been started, the participant can grant access to an eligible contractor and assist with filling in the required information. Once the information has been filled in, the participant is responsible for submitting the application.
The portal is designed to allow each account owner to add multiple facilities under a single account. You do not need to register a new user for each facility. To submit an application for a second facility, navigate to your account dashboard, where the option to add additional facility applications is available. If you’re not seeing this option, please ensure your account permissions are up to date or contact our support team for further assistance.
Emission reductions are accurately calculated by comparing baseline emissions to post-implementation emissions, following established measurement and verification (M&V) protocols like those outlined in the IPMVP (International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol).
Since SEMI incentive caps apply to each facility individually, each facility located within a site would need to submit a separate application. A facility is defined as a physical location where industrial activities take place, involving energy use for producing, transforming, or assembling goods. If a site comprises of multiple buildings, each building or group of buildings used for industrial activities is considered a separate facility, provided they have distinct energy boundaries set by provider-owned meters.
Participants can use an Eligible Contractor of their choice to complete the Energy Assessments and Audits, Energy Management Information Systems, and Capital Retrofits activities. Eligible Contractors are defined as contractors that have met the requirements in the SEMI Contractor Code of Conduct. Please note that Enerva Energy Solutions will deliver the Facility Readiness Assessment and Strategic Energy Management activities exclusively. This will help ensure we are able to consistently collect baseline data and efficiently guide participants through the other program activities.
All participants must first complete a Facility Readiness Assessment (FRA). After that, you can participate in all four eligible activities.
The duration and cost of the FRA will depend on several variables, including the size and complexity of your facility. Additionally, the duration will depend on your ability to provide the documentation required to complete the FRA.
If you need to make changes to your SEMI application after receiving pre-approval, a Major Change Request may be required. Please review the following guidance:
- Minor Change Requests (e.g., updates to participant contact information or clarification of session dates) can typically be handled informally. Please contact SEMI@enerva.ca or techsupport@semiprogram.ca to confirm whether a formal Change Request is needed.
- Major Change Requests (e.g., changes to the project completion date, significant scope adjustments, project budget updates, or participation withdrawal) must be submitted through a formal request process.
The Major Change Request process will soon be available through the SEMI Portal. In the meantime, until the portal is updated, Major Change Requests will be handled via email:
- Complete the Major Application Change Request Form and email it to SEMI@eralberta.ca and SEMI@enerva.ca.
- Include any supporting documentation, if applicable.
- The program team will review your request and confirm next steps.
Note: All Major Change Requests must be submitted and approved prior to implementing the change. Approval is not guaranteed and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Major Change Requests must be submitted at least 60 days prior to your project completion date.
NAICS Codes
A NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code is the standard used by both Canadian statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing and publishing statistical data related to the economy.
NAICS codes vary from 2-digit to 6-digit in length and are assigned to industries. They form a numerical hierarchy for organizational purposes.
How does it work?
Digits 1-2: Economic sector
Digit 3: Economic subsector
Digit 4: Industry group
Digit 5: NAICS industry
Digit 6: National industry
For example:
| NAICS Code | Industry |
| 22 | Utilities sector |
| 221 | Utilities subsector |
| 2211 | Electric power generation, transmission and distribution |
| 22111 | Electric power generation |
| 221119 | Other electric power generation |
As you can see in the above example, the longer the NAICS code, the more specific the industry. The shorter the number, the broader the industry.
For SEMI, you will need to identify your facility’s six digit NAICS code at the time of the registration
To find your NAICS code for the SEMI program, you will need to select your facility type in the application portal. The application portal will automatically identify the appropriate NAICS code based on your selection. If your facility operates in a unique or emerging industry, the portal will provide guidance on selecting the closest applicable industry code.
The following NAICS codes are eligible:
- 11 – Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
- 21 – Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
- 22 – Utilities
- 23 – Construction
- 31-32-33 – Manufacturing
- 48 – Transportation
- 56 – Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services
- Administrative and support sectors are not eligible for SEMI. Waste management and remediation service sectors are eligible.
Please contact ERA to discuss. Eligible sectors may also include those that are engaged in energy-consuming processes and that involve the physical or chemical transformation of materials or substances into new products. Products may be finished (ready to use or consume) or semi-finished (raw material). Related activities include assembling component parts, blending materials, and finishing products.
Eligibility
No, all participants in SEMI are required to first complete a Facility Readiness Assessment (FRA) at their facility. The FRA goes beyond just energy auditing; it evaluates all aspects of your facility to ensure you gain the maximum benefits from SEMI. Additionally, the FRA will provide you with a roadmap, highlighting which eligible activities within SEMI are best suited for your facility.
Once the FRA is complete, you may participate in the following four eligible activities:
- Conduct comprehensive energy studies, such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation or Process Integration assessments
- Implement energy management information systems
- Participate in strategic energy management training
- Invest in energy efficiency-focused capital projects
If the study includes static data collection and the facility data has remained unchanged since the study, the cost may be considered eligible to cover your in-kind contributions. If the study primarily includes variable data, please contact ERA to discuss.
Energy efficiency projects must be non-emitting at the point of energy use. They must use energy sources such as electricity, renewable energy, biomass, hydrogen, etc. Examples of eligible non-emitting energy efficiency projects related to systems consuming fossil fuels include:
- Steam trap replacements, as steam traps are part of the steam system and do not rely solely on fossil fuels for operation.
- Installation of heat recovery systems, since they focus on enhancing energy efficiency without being limited to fossil fuel-powered equipment.
- Process-wide energy efficiency improvements, such as optimizing heat exchanger networks to improve overall system efficiency.
Projects that reduce fossil fuel consumption and GHG emissions within a system powered by fossil fuel may be eligible. However, projects that solely focus on improving the efficiency of fossil fuel-powered equipment, such as replacing a boiler with a more efficient boiler, are ineligible.
If the equipment is using a mix of non-emitting energy and fossil fuels, ERA will review eligibility on a case-by-case basis. The eligibility will depend on factors such as the proportion of non-emitting energy used, the overall impact on GHG emissions, and the long-term reliance on fossil fuels within the system.
We anticipate that the SEMI program will be in market until March 31, 2027. However, please note that March 31, 2027, is the deadline to complete your project and submit eligible expenses and project documentation.
ERA reserves the right to limit projects that can not demonstrate an ability to complete by the program deadline.
Please note that ERA’s Service Provider is delivering the Facility Readiness Assessment (FRA) and Strategic Energy Management (SEM) activities.
To become an eligible contractor, first review the Contractor Code of Conduct on the SEMI website to confirm your eligibility. Then, register your company account through the SEMI online portal. Your company will be added to the contractor list on the portal. Newly registered contractors undergo a manual review process, which takes approximately 5 business days.
Once enrolled, you will be able to work with eligible facilities to support Energy Assessments and Audits, EMIS or Capital Retrofits.
The SEMI program generally requires you to submit your application and receive pre-approval before starting the project. Previously completed projects are not eligible. If you have started your project but have not completed it, you may still be able to participate in the SEMI program. The first step is to complete a Facility Readiness Assessment. Project costs incurred before the SEMI program announcement date of October 16, 2024, are ineligible expenditures. For example, if you purchased capital equipment before the announcement date, it will not be considered an eligible project cost. Eligible expenses incurred on or after the announcement date must meet all eligibility criteria and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
ERA is striving to achieve the right balance within the funding available to support broad access to SEMI and ensure that the level of support is a meaningful contribution towards incentivizing the implementation of eligible technology types. The table below outlines eligibility requirements for solar PV and General Purpose LED lighting.
This applies to all applicant types, including not-for-profit and Indigenous organizations.
| Solar PV | General Purpose LED Lighting | |
|---|---|---|
| Max project incentive level | $250,000/project | $250,000/project |
| Incentive levels per technology type | The lesser of:
| Maximum of 20% of total costs |
| Dedicated incentive budget | In the Capital Retrofits activity, available solar PV incentives are capped at $8M and available General-Purpose LED Lighting incentives are capped at $8M. | |
| Eligibility |
|
|
| Bundling requirements | Capital Retrofit projects must achieve a minimum 5% target energy and 5% GHG emissions reductions compared to the baseline scenario. As a result, solar PV projects will generally be required to bundle with another energy efficiency technology to meet the 5% target energy savings. | |
While a solar PV system generates electricity, it is not considered an energy-saving project on its own.
In order to meet the SEMI program requirements, Capital Retrofit projects must achieve a minimum of 5% energy savings. Therefore, solar PV must be bundled with another energy savings technology to meet the SEMI program requirements.
The 5% energy savings is calculated within the scope of the energy-savings project. For example, if a solar PV system is bundled with LED lighting, the LED lighting must achieve at least a 5% in energy savings compared to the baseline energy consumption, which is defined as the energy consumption of the existing lighting system. In this example, the solar PV system does not impact the 5% energy savings and is therefore not included in the baseline calculation.
An example of installing general-purpose LED lighting is replacing fluorescent fixtures with LED fixtures to improve illumination in industrial or manufacturing facilities.
An example of installing industrial LED fixtures would be replacing high-pressure sodium fixtures with horticultural LED grow lighting fixtures in industrial or manufacturing facilities. Specifically, horticultural LED grow lighting delivers targeted light for plants in greenhouses and indoor farms. These advanced systems can adjust light intensity and spectrum to support plant growth at various stages, ultimately enhancing crop yield and quality throughout the year.
Unfortunately, no. We require that all facilities be in operation for at least one year prior to signing the SEMI Participant Terms and Conditions. The ability to review the facilities’ recent energy usage is a crucial component to accurately determine the energy use baseline.
Funding
In-kind contribution means a cash-equivalent contribution in the form of an asset for which no cash is exchanged but that is essential to the project and that would have to be purchased by the project proponent on the open market, or through negotiation with ERA, if it were not provided by the project proponent. A more specific example is staff salary used to participate in one of SEMI’s eligible activities.
Additionally, in-kind contributions must be eligible under the activity’s Participant Terms and Conditions and recorded at a fair value as agreed to by the ERA. Eligible in-kind expenditures will not be reimbursed; they will only be considered for the calculation of your cost to participate in the activity. ERA reserves the right to consider in-kind contributions on a case-by-case basis.
We may require some cash contributions depending on the eligible activity in which you would like to participate. We will need to review your specific situation before being able to confirm.
The parent company cap is $1 million for the Capital Retrofits activity.
The table below provides the maximum incentive funding levels per facility in SEMI:
| ENABLED ACTIVITIES | MAXIMUM INCENTIVES PER FACILITY |
|---|---|
| Energy Assessments and Audits | Up to $50,000 |
| Strategic Energy Management (SEM) | Up to $100,000 worth of training |
| Energy Management Information Systems (EMIS) | Up to $50,000 Facility energy consumption less than 400,000 GJ Up to $250,000 Facility energy consumption more than 400,000 GJ |
| Capital Retrofits | Up to $1,000,000 |
Please refer to the Terms and Conditions of each activity in Schedule B for information on eligible expenditures.
- For FRA, information on the co-funding mechanism can be found in the related T&Cs, Schedule B. Please see FRA Terms and Conditions.
- For SEM, participants must commit to 80% of the training sessions and complete reporting tasks, which serve as the co-funding mechanism. For more information, please see SEM Terms and Conditions.
- For Capital Retrofits, please refer to Capital Retrofits Terms and Conditions.
- For EMIS, please refer to EMIS Terms and Conditions.
- For EAA, please refer to EAA Terms and Conditions.
- Expenditures incurred after March 31, 2027.
- New construction is ineligible (e.g., the construction of a new building or facility, Net Zero Ready building, or new mine) and/or where the emissions reductions are generated from a comparison between the performance of the new building or facility and a hypothetical baseline for the building or facility in the absence of SEMI funding.
Yes, ERA will retain ownership of the environmental attributes generated through the Capital Retrofits activity.
We do not anticipate that any environmental attributes will be generated from the other SEMI activities due to the difficulty in passing the protocols required for monetization.
Yes, depending on whether the other funding programs have additional conditions, limitations, or requirements. Additionally, there are stacking limits in the SEMI program.
Prior to signing the Participant Terms and Conditions and upon project completion, the participants will be required to disclose all funding sources (Canadian and non-Canadian) for the project, including industry sources, approved in-kind funding, and contributions from other Canadian government sources (federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal).
The maximum level of total government funding (i.e., federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal) must not exceed 75% of total project costs except in the case where the eligible recipient is a provincial, territorial, and municipal government or their departments and agencies or a registered not-for-profit organization or an Indigenous recipient, in which case the total Canadian government funding authorized will not exceed 100% of total project costs.
Please note that stacking of GIFMP funding sources is limited to 50% of project costs.
No, projects applying under the SEMI program are not eligible for funding through ERA’s Technology Funding calls. ERA’s Technology Funding streams are intended for innovative, pre-commercial projects. Applicants may apply to both the SEMI program and ERA’s competitive Call for Proposals, but the proposed projects must be entirely separate. ERA will not co-fund or overlap funding between its own programs.
Yes, the Government of Canada’s Investment Tax Credits are considered federal funding and are included in the 75% cap on government funding in SEMI.
Yes, past recipients are eligible for funding for new SEMI projects provided their project is distinct from the work previously funded by ERA.
SEM Closure
The SEM activity is fully subscribed, and we are not enrolling new facilities into the SEM cohorts. If you’re already participating in FRA or other SEMI activities, please continue with those pathways—they remain available and valuable. Current SEM participants are not affected and will continue through to completion.
Yes, existing SEM participants can continue training until they’ve completed the program.
Submitting an FRA does not guarantee funding for other activities, but it provides valuable insights into your facility’s energy use and cost-saving opportunities.
EAA Closure
The EAA activity is fully subscribed, and we are not enrolling new participants this activity. If you’re already participating in FRA or other SEMI activities, please continue with those pathways—they remain available and valuable. Current EAA participants are not affected and will continue through to completion.
Yes, existing EAA participants can continue training until they’ve completed the program.
Submitting an FRA does not guarantee funding for other activities, but it provides valuable insights into your facility’s energy use and cost-saving opportunities.
Capital Retrofits
Your application will be placed on a waitlist and will be evaluated should more funding become available.
If the application is not signed by January 6, 2026, it will be evaluated as part of the fixed intake period. The deadline to submit a complete application is March 2, 2026 at 4 p.m. (MST).
Projects submitted between January 7 and March 2, 4 p.m. (MST) 2026 will be reviewed, scored, and ranked based on evaluation criteria. All applications submitted during this period will be evaluated between March 3 and March 31, 2026. You can expect to receive an update on your funding request by March 31, 2026.
No. If funding becomes available, the highest scoring projects will be considered first.
If your project is not funded through SEMI, additional funding opportunities may be available on ERA’s website under the “Funding” tab.
No, registering or completing an FRA, SEM, EMIS, or EAA activity does not guarantee you funding for your Capital Retrofits projects. Your Capital Retrofits funding is not reserved until the Capital Retrofits Terms and Conditions are signed by ERA.
If you submit your application before March 2, 2026, it will be evaluated as part of the fixed intake process based on the evaluation criteria described here.
If your project wasn’t selected for funding, we will contact you should more funding become available.
You will need to sign the FRA Participant Terms and Conditions before submitting your Capital Retrofits application. The eligible Capital Retrofit applications will be added to the waitlist. Please be advised that registering or completing an FRA does not guarantee funding for your Capital Retrofit project.
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