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Which Provinces Are Advancing on Electrification — and Which Gave Up

A dollar figure is a snapshot. Trajectory tells you what actually matters: is this program getting bigger, or is it being wound down while nobody's watching?

By Sam Menard · Updated August 2026 · 7 min read

On this page
  1. Quick quiz: how rebate programs work
  2. Advancing
  3. In retreat
  4. Never really engaged
  5. More rebate reality checks
  6. Related reading
Quick quiz

Quick quiz: how rebate programs work

Seven questions that apply almost everywhere. Tap an answer to see why.

1. When should you check if you qualify for a rebate?

Many programs refuse work that started before approval.

2. Can you often combine rebates from different programs?

A utility rebate and a government one may stack. Check each program's stacking rules.

3. Why do some rebates need a registered contractor?

Check the official list before you accept a quote.

4. What should you keep for your claim?

Programs often ask for these, sometimes within a short window.

5. Why does your utility matter?

Two homes in one city can have different rebates if they have different utilities.

6. What is a qualified product list?

Check your exact model number before you buy.

7. Can a program's amount or rules change?

Always read the official page, and note the date you checked.

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

Applications open early 2027

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  • Who qualifies for the $10,000, once Ottawa says
  • A short hello now, so you know it worked

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Advancing

British Columbia

Still the most coherent, best-funded program in the country. No signs of retreat — CleanBC remains a single, well-administered system though it did cut some income-qualified heat pump amounts on July 6, 2026.

Massachusetts

Mass Save's rebate amounts have grown, not shrunk, and income-qualified tiers now reach $25,000. The processing backlog is a real problem (see our complaints coverage), but the underlying funding commitment is expanding, not contracting.

In retreat

Nova Scotia

The clearest case of a province stepping back. A program that once had a real claim to "best in Canada" closed its core rebate December 31, 2025, with the federal top-up following in July 2026. What's left (up to $5,000 general, $15,000 moderate-income) is real, but it's a program in decline, not growth.

California

HEEHRA and TECH Clean California — the two biggest state-level rebate mechanisms — are both fully reserved and closed to new single-family applicants as of early 2026. On paper California still looks generous. In practice, the money has run out and isn't being replenished at the same pace.

Never really engaged

Alberta and Saskatchewan

These aren't provinces retreating from a program — they never built one. Saskatchewan has no heat pump rebate at all. Alberta's only federal tool (OHPA) drew 16 applications province-wide. There's no trajectory to track because there was never a real starting point.

If you're choosing where to invest based on rebate stability, not just today's number, BC and Massachusetts are the safer long-term bets. Nova Scotia and California both illustrate how fast a "generous" program can become a historical footnote.

More rebate reality checks

How current is this? BC amounts were re-checked against BC Hydro and Better Homes BC on September 26, 2026. Amounts for other provinces were gathered in August 2026 and have not been re-checked since, and programs change often. Confirm on the official program site, or see your city's page, before you plan around a number.

Sources referenced in this piece were gathered during HomePowerRebate's ongoing province/state rebate research (August 2026), including government program pages, utility program pages, and news coverage (CBS Boston, Boston Globe) where cited inline.

Keep learning

Short reads and quick quizzes on how rebate programs work.

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