Ottawa says they can be combined

Federal and Provincial Heat Pump Rebates: What Stacks?

The federal government says its new heat pump rebate can be combined with provincial programs. That is good news, but each province has its own rules. Here is what pays today in four regions, a sample stack for each, and what we still cannot answer.

On this page
  1. Quick quiz: how a heat pump works
  2. What Ottawa has said about stacking
  3. British Columbia
  4. Ontario
  5. Nova Scotia
  6. Alberta
  7. Other provinces
  8. How to check stacking before you buy
  9. Common questions
  10. More on the federal heat pump rebate
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 modern house with a heat pump unit on the outside wall

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)

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

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

What Ottawa has said about stacking

The Prime Minister's release says the federal rebates can be combined with existing provincial programs. It does not list the provinces or say how each program's own rules treat federal money. The federal rebate is up to $10,000 below the median household income and $2,000 above it, and it is not open until early 2027.

Every sample below shows arithmetic if both programs pay in full. It is not a promise. Provincial programs set their own caps, and some pay a percentage of eligible cost, which could leave less room for a second rebate.

British Columbia

BC Hydro pays up to $4,000 for a whole-home heat pump that replaces electric heat, and up to $1,500 for a partial-home system. It also has a bonus of up to $1,000 for installs finished by October 31, 2026. For households that heat with gas, propane or oil and meet the income test, CleanBC pays $13,000, $7,000 or $3,500 for Levels 1, 2 and 3 with a central or three-head system.

A sample stack for an electric-heat home: $4,000 from BC Hydro plus $2,000 federal is $6,000, or up to $14,000 if the household is below the federal median. The open question is CleanBC, which pays up to 100 percent of eligible costs. If a program already covers the full cost, a second rebate may be reduced, so ask before you rely on both. See the BC hub and the CleanBC page. BC's Greener Homes Affordability Program is also open for free upgrades to lower-income homes.

Ontario

Home Renovation Savings pays $1,250 per ton up to $7,500 for homes heated with electricity, oil, propane or wood, and $500 per ton up to $2,000 for gas homes and rentals. A three-ton heat pump in an oil home earns $3,750, which becomes $5,750 with a $2,000 federal rebate or up to $13,750 below the median. You need written pre-approval before the install, the unit must be on the NRCan cold-climate list, and a participating contractor files the application. See the Ontario hub and the Home Renovation Savings guide.

Nova Scotia

Efficiency Nova Scotia pays per ton: $300 for a ductless mini-split, $500 for a ducted system and $600 for geothermal. Replacement heat pumps are not eligible, so this is for adding a heat pump to a home that does not have one. HomeWarming installs upgrades for free for lower-income homeowners. The ENS guide we use is dated August 2026, and we could not re-read its amounts, so check the current guide. See the Nova Scotia hub.

Alberta

Alberta has no province-wide heat pump rebate that we could verify. Calgary offers Clean Energy Improvement Program financing of up to $50,000, but intake is closed until winter 2026 to 2027. The earlier federal Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program closed on July 31, 2026. For many Alberta homes, the new federal rebate could be the only rebate on the table. See the Alberta hub.

Other provinces

We have not yet verified rebate programs in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec, New Brunswick, PEI or Newfoundland. We would rather say that than guess. Nova Scotia, BC, Manitoba, PEI and Quebec currently accept applications to the free Greener Homes Affordability Program, according to Natural Resources Canada.

How to check stacking before you buy

  1. Read the provincial program's rules for the words "other funding" or "other incentives".
  2. Ask the program by phone or email whether federal money reduces the provincial amount.
  3. Get the answer in writing and keep it with your invoice.
  4. Watch the Canada.ca campaign page for the federal rules.
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 I combine the federal rebate with BC Hydro?

Ottawa says its rebate can be combined with provincial programs. BC Hydro has not published its position on the new federal rebate that we have read.

Do Ontario rebates reduce the federal rebate?

Not announced. Home Renovation Savings requires pre-approval before the install, so check with the program.

Which province pays the most for a heat pump?

It depends on income and what you heat with. BC's CleanBC pays up to $13,000 for the lowest income level. Ontario pays up to $7,500 for electric, oil, propane and wood homes.

Is Alberta eligible for the federal rebate?

The government says the program is national. Alberta has no province-wide heat pump rebate, so the federal rebate may be the main one.

Is a free Greener Homes retrofit compatible with the new rebate?

Not stated. They are separate programs, so ask before you apply to both.

More on the federal heat pump rebate

Sources, read October 9, 2026: Prime Minister of Canada: news release, BC Hydro: renovating your heating system, Better Homes BC: ESP requirements, July 2026, Home Renovation Savings, Natural Resources Canada: Greener Homes Affordability Program, City of Calgary: Clean Energy Improvement Program.

Keep learning

Short reads and quick quizzes on how rebate programs work.

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