Space heating is the largest use of energy in homes. A properly installed heat pump is two to three times more efficient than other alternatives and can provide you with both heating and cooling for today’s cold winters and hot summers.
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Based on your household income, the CleanBC Better Homes Energy Savings Program covers up to $5,000 for households switching from electrical or wood heating to an electric heat pump. For more information, see What is a heat pump and what are its benefits?
Overview
Rebate amount
Up to $5,000
Who can apply
B.C. citizens who live in aneligible home, meet income qualification requirements, and have residential utility accounts with BC Hydro, FortisBC, or municipal utility
Deadline
The application and supporting documentation must be submitted by the program registered contractor within six (6) months of the invoice date
Qualifying products
Upgrades must be installed by an program registered contractor and be on the qualified product list
Funding provided by
The Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and BC Hydro
For assistance with this program, contact an Energy Saving Program Energy Coach by email at IncomeQualified@betterhomesbc.ca or by phone at 1-833-856-0333.
Rebate amount
Learn more about the three income levels that are eligible for rebates.
Upgrade Type | Income level 1 | Income level 2 | Income level 3 |
Central ducted heat pump | $5,000 | $5,000 | N/A |
Ductless multi-split heat pump | $5,000 | $5,000 | N/A |
Ductless mini-split heat pump | $5,000 | $5,000 | N/A |
Energy Savings Program rebates cannot be combined with rebates from the CleanBC Better Homes and Home Renovation Rebate Program or other provincial or utility offers for the same upgrade.
Related rebates
Check out other available rebates for the Energy Savings Program at betterhomesbc.ca/energy-savings-program.
Eligibility requirements
In order to qualify for this rebate, all of the following requirements must be met. Please read them carefully. Contact an Energy Savings Program Coach if you have questions.
Rebates for heat pumps in electrically-heated or wood-heated homes are only available to participants in income levels 1 and 2. Households at income level 3 that wish to install these types of heat pumps can apply to the regular CleanBC Better Homes and Home Renovation Rebate programs.
Income qualification requirements
Rebate coverage is based on the combined income of all adults in your home and how many people live in your home, including adults and children.
Learn more about the three income levels that are eligible for rebates.
Requirements for the home
You must live in an eligible home:
- The property must be a year-round primary residence, that is at least 12 months old.
- For participants registering in the program as income levels 1 or 2, the property must have a total assessed value at or under $1,230,000 in the BC Assessment listing for the address of the applicant’s home in the year of program registration.
- If a household meets the income threshold of any of the levels in the table above, but the home is valued at or higher than the property value of $1,230,000, they will be approved as an income level 3 participant.
- You must have a residential utility account with FortisBC, BC Hydro, or a municipal utility.
- You must pay your own energy utility bills. Utility accounts must be in the name of the resident and/or homeowner; utility accounts in the name of a strata corporation or landlord are not eligible.
- The home must be one of the following types of residential buildings:
- Single-family home (detached dwelling).
- Secondary suite in a single-family home (detached dwelling), with its own separate utility meter.
- Mobile home that is permanently fixed, sits on a foundation and is structurally complete with installed and connected plumbing, heating, electrical, water and sewer services; towing apparatus and axle must be removed.
- Duplex, triplex, row home or townhome, where each unit has its own natural gas and/or electricity meter; utility accounts must be in the name of the resident and/or homeowner. Utility accounts in the name of a strata corporation are not eligible.
- If you currently rent your home, you will need a landlord consent form to accompany your application.
- You must pre-register and receive an eligibility code before completing the upgrade.
- The home must be primarily heated by one of the following:
- natural gas, propane or oil
- electricity (hard-wired electric heating systems such as electric baseboards, radiant ceilings, radiant floors, or forced-air furnace/boiler).
- wood or other solid fuels.
Requirements for the upgrade
- You must pre-register and receive an eligibility code before completing the upgrade.
- The new heat pump must:
- Replace the existing primary heating system (a primary heating system must have the capacity to heat a minimum of 50% of the home for the entire heating season to 21°C).
- Replace an existing hard-wired electric heating system (e.g. electric baseboards, radiant ceilings, radiant floors, or forced-air furnace). The back-up space heating system must be electric.
- Meet or exceed SEER ≥ 16.0, HSPF ≥ 10.0 (Region IV) or SEER2 ≥ 15.2, HSPF2 ≥ 8.5 (Region IV)*.
- Be sized to function as the primary heating system of the home.
- Have a variable speed compressor.
- Have a minimum capacity of 12,000 BTU (1 ton).
- Serve a main living area (e.g. family room, living room, or open-concept kitchen-living room).
- Have an AHRI certified reference number that references all components of the heat pump.
- Be listed as a qualified system on the qualified heat pump product list for B.C.
- Central ducted heat pumps must have a static pressure ≥0.6” WC.
- Meet these additional design and capacity requirements.
*The CleanBC Energy Savings Program will accept either the HSPF/SEER or HSPF2/SEER2 testing standard data from AHRI. The new HSPF2/SEER2 testing standard tests heat pumps to a higher standard that better represents homes in Canada, resulting in different efficiency data. An eligible heat pump that meets either the HSPF/SEER requirements or the HSPF2/SEER2 requirements and is on our qualified product list will qualify for a rebate.
Replacing an electric heating system
- Your old electric system must be hard-wired (for example, baseboards or an electric furnace) and the back-up system must be electric.
- Replacing an existing heat pump or adding a head to an existing heat pump is not eligible.
- Emergency replacement of broken electric heating system is eligible.
Replacing a wood or solid fuel heating system
- The existing wood or solid fuel heating system may be retained in safe and working order or removed in accordance with all applicable laws.
- If you arekeepingyour wood or solid fuel heating system, you must submit a copy of an inspection report completed by aWood Energy Technology Transfer Inc. (WETT)-certified professional. The inspection report must be dated within the 12-month period before or 6-month period following the date of the heat pump installation invoice and include the inspector’s WETT certification number, the installation address of the wood or solid fuel heating system and whether the installation is compliant with relevant codes.
- If you areremoving your wood or solid fuel heating system, you will be asked to provide before and after photos of your wood or solid fuel heating system’s removal.
View sample invoices
See below for sample invoices
- From electric or wood heating to heat pump
Deadlines
The application and supporting documentation must be submitted by the program registered contractor within six (6) months of the invoice date.
How to apply
Before you begin
- Confirm eligibility by reviewing theRebate Eligibility Requirements,Participant Terms and Conditions, andContractor Terms and Conditions.
- Complete the program’s pre-screen and pre-registration to determine your eligibility through the CleanBC Energy Savings Program participant portal. Once confirmed you will receive an eligibility code and opportunities report, outlining your suggested upgrades. You can also make an appointment with an Energy Savings Program coach or schedule a virtual assessment for pre-registration assistance or support to identify the best upgrades for your home.
- Customer must choose an program registered contractor to complete the upgrade.
- Contractors interested in becoming registered in the Energy Savings Program can contact IQPcontractorsupport@clearesult.comor visit the contractor portal.
- After completing the upgrade, the contractor will submit the rebate application and deduct the rebate from the final cost of the upgrade.
I am… | Apply here |
Ready to register for the Energy Savings Program | Energy Savings Program participant portal |
Who to contact
Questions about the rebate?
Contact an Energy Coach to get clarification or help with understanding this rebate.
Questions about your application?
- CleanBC Energy Savings Program
- IncomeQualified@betterhomesbc.ca
- 1-833-856-0333
Program updates
April 01, 2024 - Eligibility code expiration update
Effective April 1, 2024, the CleanBC Income Qualified Program will introduce a 12-month effective period for eligibility codes. Eligibility codes for applications received on or after April 1, 2024, are valid for upgrades completed within 12 months of the participants approval date. Beyond this date participants must re-apply to determine their eligibility.
October 01 2022 - Updated Requirements for Heat Pumps
As of October 01 2022, eligibility requirements for ductless mini-split, ductless multi-split, Tier 2 central ducted, and dual fuel ducted heat pumps have changed.
- Heat pumps must meet new energy efficiency requirements:
- SEER: >16.00
- HSPF: >10.00
- Ductless multi-split heat pumps must have at least two indoor heads installed
FAQs and more
Learn about heat pumps
- What are central ducted heat pumps?
- What are ductless mini-split and ductless multi-split heat pumps?
Rebate FAQs
- What do the CleanBC Better Homes and Home Renovation Rebate Programs define as my Primary Heating System?
- Who areprogram rebates paid to through the CleanBC Better Homes Energy Savings Program?
- How long is an eligibility code valid for?
Get help from professionals
Finding the right contractor is key to having a successful home energy retrofit.
Income Qualified Program Registered Contractor