Occupancy Sensor Lighting Rebates in Ontario: What to Check
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Does adding a motion sensor automatically earn a lighting rebate in Ontario? No. The control type, exact equipment and project must be checked. Save on Energy includes eligible standard lighting controls in its Instant Discounts Program; network lighting controls follow a separate Retrofit program pathway.
Use this guide when comparing LED panels with sensor-base options, warehouse high bay lights with occupancy sensors or a separate occupancy control. Begin with our Ontario lighting rebate overview and ask for model-specific confirmation.
Describe how the space is occupied
List the working hours and how long each zone is typically empty. A storeroom used occasionally and an occupied production area have different control needs. Do not apply one assumed savings percentage across an entire building.
In offices, discuss detection of seated occupants and the desired time delay. In warehouses, record mounting heights, rack positions and the route people use through each aisle. Ask the supplier for the sensor's documented coverage at the intended mounting height.
Separate three purchasing questions
| Question | What to obtain |
|---|---|
| Will it work with the fixture? | The exact sensor, driver and control compatibility details. |
| Will it suit the space? | A coverage and commissioning plan for the actual layout. |
| Will it receive an incentive? | Confirmation of the eligible model, program pathway and quoted amount. |
These are separate checks. A compatible sensor is not automatically an approved measure, and an approved product still needs an appropriate installation design.
Ask what happens when the space is empty
Confirm whether the design switches lights off or dims them to a standby level, and how occupants restore the normal level. Ask who sets the time delay, tests detection and documents the final settings. Your installer should assess any requirements that limit where switching or dimming can be used.
For shared areas, discuss occupant expectations and overrides before purchase. A control that is regularly bypassed may not deliver the energy savings assumed in the quote.
Estimate sensor savings without counting them twice
Calculate the LED replacement's energy use first. Then estimate the additional change from controls using occupied time, standby time and the actual power in each state.
Illustration only: Ten fixtures dim from 100 watts to 20 watts during 1,000 otherwise fully lit hours annually. The incremental saving is 10 × (100 − 20) × 1,000 ÷ 1,000 = 800 kWh per year. This is an invented example, not a predicted result for your property. Do not also count those same hours as fully switched off.
Can fixture and control discounts be added together?
Do not assume two advertised amounts can be combined. Ask the distributor to verify the applicable measure and explain the discount on the quote. Disclose other incentive funding for the same equipment so program restrictions can be checked.
What to send with your enquiry
Provide the installation address, space type, mounting height, fixture count, operating schedule and any proposed model numbers. For an industrial project, use our warehouse retrofit checklist. For offices, read the LED panel buying guide.
Ask Selix Kala for a fixture and control quote. Include photos or a floor plan so product selection, control compatibility and incentive review can be discussed together.
Program information checked October 25, 2026. Source: Save on Energy Instant Discounts Program. Product eligibility and program terms may change; confirm your quote before buying.
Related Ontario lighting guides
- Who Qualifies for Ontario Commercial Lighting Rebates?
- Warehouse LED Lighting Retrofit in Ontario: A Buying Checklist
- LED Panel Rebates in Ontario: An Office Lighting Buying Guide
Choosing a small sensor-equipped ceiling light? Browse our PIR motion sensor ceiling lights and compare the actual output, dimming and colour settings in our 6-inch vs 7-inch PIR ceiling-light guide. The two listed models are not interchangeable on size alone.