Federal Heat Pump Rebate: Renters, Condos and Landlords

Quick quiz

Quick quiz: how a heat pump works

Ten questions on the machine itself. Tap an answer to see why.

1. How does a heat pump heat your home?

A heat pump uses a refrigerant loop to carry heat in from outside air (or the ground). Moving heat takes far less energy than making it.

2. Can a heat pump heat a home when it is below freezing outside?

Cold-climate models are tested and rated for low temperatures. Always check the rated output at your coldest design temperature.

3. What does 'cold-climate' on a heat pump mean?

It is a performance rating, not a sales region. Many rebate programs ask for a cold-climate model on a qualified list.

4. For each unit of electricity it uses, a heat pump delivers about:

Because it moves heat instead of making it, a heat pump is often 200 to 400 percent efficient. Electric baseboards top out at 100 percent.

5. What is a ductless mini-split?

It needs no ductwork. Each indoor unit heats and cools the room it sits in, which suits homes without ducts.

6. Can a heat pump also cool your home in summer?

A reversing valve switches the direction of heat flow, so one system heats in winter and cools in summer.

7. What should an installer use to size a heat pump?

Square footage misses insulation, windows and air leaks. A proper heat-loss calculation avoids a unit that is too big or too small.

8. You see steam or frost on the outdoor unit in winter. What is usually happening?

Frost builds on the outdoor coil in cold, damp air. The unit briefly reverses to melt it, then goes back to heating.

9. About how long does a well-installed heat pump last?

Fifteen years is a common figure, longer with regular filter cleaning and yearly checks.

10. Why do some homes keep backup heat with a heat pump?

Right-sized cold-climate units handle most winter days. A small backup is a choice for the coldest extremes, not a sign the heat pump fails.

See my rebates

A bright living room with a white sectional sofa

By Sam Menard · Updated October 9, 2026

Canada’s new heat pump rebate is worth up to $10,000. Get an email the day it opens

Applications are not open yet. Ottawa says they open in early 2027, and that you can add this rebate on top of provincial ones.

Up to $10,000: if your household earns below the median income
$2,000: for other homeowners who qualify

Stack it with the provincial rebate open today Show all 12

Ottawa says you can combine them. Each program has its own rules. Amounts are the most you can get.

Applications open early 2027

Join the launch alert

Launch-day email, with what to do first
Who qualifies for the $10,000, once Ottawa says
A short hello now, so you know it worked

Only emails about this rebate. No spam, no sales calls. Unsubscribe anytime.

How Ottawa says it will work (plans, not final rules)

Apply online when your heating breaks or gets old
Approved in 24 hours no home energy audit needed
Payment approved in 5 days sent by direct deposit after you upload receipts

Read everything we know so far Official page: canada.ca

What the government has said

The National Heat Pump Rebate is described as a rebate for homeowners, with up to $10,000 below the median income and $2,000 above, and one rebate per person. The release does not say whether condos, rentals or landlords qualify. We will update our federal rebate page when the rules are published in early 2027.

Renters: the Greener Homes Affordability Program

Natural Resources Canada says the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program serves low-to-median-income homeowners and tenants with free retrofits such as insulation and heat pumps. Applications go through your province. It currently accepts applications in British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. The program is moving to Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the page was last updated on August 31, 2026. In Nova Scotia the same federal funding supports HomeWarming. See the Nova Scotia hub.

Landlords and apartment buildings

The government announced separate money for rental buildings: a CMHC mortgage insurance product supporting up to 250,000 rental units, Canada Infrastructure Bank financing for 30,000 more, and a $110 million Deep Retrofit Accelerator over three years starting in 2027-28. These are for building owners and are not rebates for individual tenants.

Ontario's Home Renovation Savings pays $500 per ton, up to $2,000, for a qualifying heat pump in a rented home. Confirm the details with the program, since the program's web page and its requirements document describe eligible home types a little differently.

Condo and strata owners

Condo owners face practical limits: you may need council approval for an outdoor unit, and a single unit may share heating with the building. In BC, BC Hydro's condo heat pump maximum is $2,250. See our BC strata and condo guide. We have not verified noise limits or outdoor-unit rules, so ask your council and installer. If you are a condo owner in Ontario, ask Home Renovation Savings whether your unit has its own heating and meter.

Questions to ask your landlord or council

Is the building's heating electric, oil, propane or gas, and is it shared or per unit?
Does the building plan to replace its heating system in the next few years?
If a heat pump is installed, who owns it, who pays to run it and could rent go up?
Would the owner apply to a program such as Home Renovation Savings in Ontario, where a rented home can still qualify at $500 per ton up to $2,000?

Tenants have little power over heating equipment, but a landlord who pays the heating bill has a reason to listen. Oil, propane and electric baseboard are the costliest fuels to heat with, which is the case the federal savings figure of more than $1,400 a year describes.

Why this is not a quick fix

Apartment retrofit money flows through lenders and building owners, and the Deep Retrofit Accelerator does not start until 2027-28. For most tenants, the useful steps in the next year are small: a smart thermostat, efficient appliances, and checking whether you qualify for a free upgrade through your province. For owners of a single suite in a condo, the rebate rules for homeowners will matter most, and the details are still to come.

What renters can do today

Ask your landlord whether the building has applied for any retrofit program.
If your income is low to median, check your province's Greener Homes Affordability application.
Check whether your utility offers smart thermostat or small appliance rebates you can claim yourself. See our calculator.
Do not buy a heat pump for a rented unit without written permission.

Want a number for your home? Run our rebate calculator, or get a plan emailed with the top-rated installers near you.

Common questions

Can renters get the federal heat pump rebate?

Not announced. Tenants in BC, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, PEI and Quebec can apply for the free Greener Homes Affordability Program.

Can landlords claim the National Heat Pump Rebate?

The government has not said. It announced separate programs for rental buildings.

Can a condo owner qualify?

Not confirmed. Ask your strata or condo council about the outdoor unit too.

Does Ontario pay for rented heat pumps?

Home Renovation Savings pays $500 per ton up to $2,000 for any rented unit, with pre-approval required.

Where do I see updates?

On our federal rebate page and the Canada.ca campaign page.

More on the federal heat pump rebate

Sources, read October 9, 2026: Natural Resources Canada: Greener Homes Affordability Program, Environment and Climate Change Canada: news release, Prime Minister of Canada: news release, Home Renovation Savings.