What is open for Halifax homes in 2026
We re-read the Efficiency Nova Scotia and Government of Nova Scotia pages on October 5, 2026. Halifax Regional Municipality's own page could not be opened by our tools that day, so the Solar City details come from the copy the site owner read on October 3.
Home Energy Assessment rebates
Open to any Nova Scotia homeowner, whatever the income or heating fuel. Book an assessment ($199), finish the upgrades within 12 months, then book the final visit. Cheques come within about 90 days.
Moderate Income Rebate
For owners who live in the home and heat mainly with something other than electricity, under the income limits. It was cut from $10,000 after the federal oil program closed. It stacks with the assessment rebates and needs approval before any work.
HomeWarming
Insulation, draft-proofing and heat pumps at no charge for lower-income homeowners, with a free assessment. Limits start at $30,187 after tax for one person.
Instant rebates at the till
$800 off an ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater, $150 off a heat pump dryer, $45 off a smart thermostat for electric heat, $200 off a variable-speed pool pump.
Free smart thermostat
Installed at no cost in electrically heated homes. Other free devices such as shower heads and aerators may come with the visit.
Halifax Solar City
Not a rebate. The Municipality pays the contractor and you repay over 10 years on a separate charge that stays with the property.
Heating Assistance Rebate
A provincial cheque toward your heating bill. Apply from October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
Oil to Heat Pump Affordability
Closed to new applicants on July 2, 2026 when the money was spent.
SolarHomes
Stopped taking homeowner applications on April 17, 2025. Only non-profits and charities can still apply.
Canada Greener Homes Grant and Loan
Both ended: the grant took documents until December 31, 2025, and the loan cannot approve new applications.
Canada’s new heat pump rebate is worth up to $10,000. Get an email the day it opens
Planning a heat pump in Halifax? Ottawa says you can add this on top of provincial rebates.
- Up to $10,000
- if your household earns below the median income
- $2,000
- for other homeowners who qualify
Stack it with the Nova Scotia rebate open today
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
Know someone with old heating? Send them this.
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
Who lives in Halifax, and what that means for rebates
The 2021 Census counted 190,510 households in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Owners are 58% and renters 42%. Almost half (48%) live in single-detached houses, 15% in apartment buildings of five or more storeys and 22% in smaller apartment buildings and duplexes. About 45% of homes were built before 1981, and 6.4% need major repairs.
Every provincial rebate here goes to the homeowner. With four households in ten renting, a large share of Halifax cannot apply at all. If you rent, your best moves are the $400 heating cheque and the free smart thermostat, and a conversation with your landlord about the rest. For the 28,280 households in tall apartment buildings, a heat pump is usually a decision for the whole building.
Start with your income
Income decides which door to knock on first, and the order matters because the income programs need approval before any work starts.
Under the HomeWarming limits ($30,187 for one person, $57,075 for two to four, $79,163 for five or more, after tax): apply to HomeWarming and wait. Under the higher Moderate Income limits ($37,260 for one person up to $126,500 for five or more) and heating with oil, propane or gas: apply for the Moderate Income Rebate. Everyone else, and anyone heating with electricity: book the assessment. Both income tests use line 23600 minus line 43500 of your Notice of Assessment.
Why the oil-to-heat-pump story changed
Until July 2, 2026, an oil-heated Halifax family under the income limit could combine federal money with provincial money for a large heat pump rebate. The federal program ran out of funds, and the province cut its top-up from $10,000 to $5,000 to match. If you read an older article promising $15,000, it is out of date. Efficiency Nova Scotia says applications not yet approved are judged at the new levels, so an old application can still pay less than you expected.
Solar City, in plain words
Solar City lets a Halifax property owner put solar panels, solar hot water or solar hot air on the house without paying up front. The Municipality pays the contractor when the work is done, and you repay through a Local Improvement Charge at a fixed 4.75% over 10 years, billed apart from your regular property taxes. You can pay it off early with no penalty. When you sell, you either pay off the balance or, if both sides agree, the buyer takes it over.
It is a loan on your property, so run the numbers as you would with any loan. The old provincial SolarHomes rebate is closed to homeowners, so Solar City is now the main help with the up-front cost. Our Halifax solar page covers it in more detail.
Power costs and the cold
Nova Scotia Power charges 19.128 cents per kWh plus a $20.08 monthly base charge since May 1, 2026. That is why the electric-only upgrades, a heat pump or a heat pump water heater, tend to pay back. Halifax's average January low is about -6°C and the coldest reading in the last ten years was -26.4°C, so ask any heat pump installer what temperature the unit is rated for and whether you should keep a backup.
Where to go next
Pick the upgrade you are planning. Our guides cover heat pumps, water heaters, insulation, windows and smart thermostats. Ventilators and appliances are covered once for the whole province: see HRV and ventilation rebates and appliance rebates.
Every rebate guide for Halifax
- Insulation rebates in Halifax
- Windows & Doors rebates in Halifax
- Water Heater rebates in Halifax
- Heat Pump rebates in Halifax
- Solar rebates in Halifax
- Smart Thermostat rebates in Halifax
Top-rated installers in Halifax
Heat pump installers ranked by Google reviews, five reviews minimum. We take no referral fees or paid placements. Ask whether the installer is certified for Efficiency Nova Scotia rebates before you sign.
What to do first in Halifax
- Check your after-tax household income against the HomeWarming and Moderate Income limits.
- If you qualify, apply first and wait for approval before you book anyone.
- If not, book a Home Energy Assessment with an Efficiency Nova Scotia delivery partner.
- Choose the upgrades, get several quotes and finish within 12 months of the assessment.
- Book the final assessment and wait for the rebate cheque.
- If you rent, apply for the $400 heating rebate before March 31, 2027.
Common questions
How much can a Halifax homeowner get back in 2026?
Up to $5,000 through the Home Energy Assessment program. Homes heated mainly by something other than electricity and under the income limits can add up to $5,000 from the Moderate Income Rebate, for up to $10,000 in total.
Does Halifax have its own rebate?
Not a cash rebate that we could confirm. Halifax Solar City is financing at 4.75% over 10 years for solar, repaid on a charge that stays with the property.
Is the oil to heat pump program still open?
No. It closed to new applicants on July 2, 2026.
Can renters in Halifax get anything?
Renters who pay their own heat can apply for the $400 heating rebate. The free smart thermostat is open to electrically heated homes, and renters need the landlord's written permission.
Do I need an assessment first?
For the per-measure rebates, yes. The initial visit costs $199, waived for moderate-income households, and the final visit comes after the work.
Is there a battery rebate in Halifax?
We found no current residential battery rebate on the Efficiency Nova Scotia programs list.
What to do next
Run the Nova Scotia rebate calculator for your numbers, or see every Efficiency Nova Scotia program. Read what HARP is and the 2026-27 heating rebate payment dates.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 9, 2026: Efficiency Nova Scotia: Home Energy Assessment, Efficiency Nova Scotia: Moderate Income Rebate, Efficiency Nova Scotia: HomeWarming, Efficiency Nova Scotia: Instant Rebates, Government of Nova Scotia: Heating Assistance Rebate, Halifax: About Solar City, Nova Scotia Power: residential rate, Statistics Canada 2021 Census, table 98-10-0233-01. All Halifax rebates → Every Efficiency Nova Scotia rebate →
