What Home Renovation Savings pays for a heat pump in Kitchener
We re-read the program's heat pump page and its requirements document on October 3, 2026. No home energy assessment is needed for this stream, but a participating HVAC contractor and written pre-approval are.
Air-source, electric, oil, propane or wood heat
For a cold-climate air-source heat pump replacing electric resistance, oil, propane or wood as the main heat. A 3-ton system pays $3,750 and 6 tons or more reaches the cap.
Air-source, Enbridge gas heat
For homes primarily heated by an Enbridge gas furnace or boiler. The cap is reached at 4 tons.
Ground-source
For electric, oil, propane or wood homes. Gas homes get a flat $3,000. The system must be a full installation sized to the home's load.
Rented heat pump
Rentals are eligible for any primary heating fuel: $500 per ton for air-source, up to $2,000, or a flat $3,000 for ground-source.
More than one outdoor unit
If several outdoor units are needed to heat the whole home, their tons add up and one rebate is paid on the total, for example 3 + 3 tons for $7,500.
One rebate, pre-approved
One rebate per home. The contractor needs written pre-approval before installing, files the post-installation application within 30 days, and the cheque arrives within 60 days of approval.
Kitchener: Federal heat pump rebate coming in early 2027: up to $10,000 for households below the median income and $2,000 for other eligible homeowners. Home Renovation Savings pays now, and Ottawa says the federal rebate can be combined with provincial programs. Read what is confirmed or decide whether to wait.
Canada’s new heat pump rebate is worth up to $10,000. Get an email the day it opens
Ottawa says you can add it on top of provincial rebates like the ones on this page.
- Up to $10,000
- if your household earns below the median income
- $2,000
- for other homeowners who qualify
Stack it with the Ontario 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
The requirements document lists no end date, but the program's other streams close in late 2026, so check the program page before you sign a contract. Pre-approval is mandatory: an installation done first earns nothing.
Kitchener housing
The 2021 Census counts 47% of Kitchener households in detached houses, 66% in an eligible type and 60% owning. 21,465 are owner-occupied detached houses built before 1981. 15% live in low-rise apartments and 3,155 in duplexes. 4.7% report needing major repairs.
Coaching and the loan
Retrofit Waterloo Region's free Energy Coach is open to homeowners across the Region. Its loan, up to $40,000 at 2.5% over 10 or 15 years, is repaid on the GrandBridge Energy bill and is limited to customers in Cambridge and North Dumfries. Kitchener is served by Enova Power, so the loan does not apply. A coach can help you decide between ductless and central systems before you ask for quotes.
Landlords and owners
The owner must own the home and pay for the installation. Where an owner has tenants, the owner applies, and a tenant cannot apply on the owner's behalf. A Kitchener landlord with a rented upper unit should confirm that the home qualifies as an eligible type and has a central heating system before applying.
Ductless or central
The program accepts centrally ducted, partially ducted and ductless cold-climate systems, including single-head and multi-head mini-splits. A multi-head system must still meet the whole-home heating requirement. Ask the contractor to show how many indoor heads are planned and which rooms they cover.
What the quote must show
The work order has to be fully itemized in the format of the program's sample invoice. For a ground-source system it must also show the loop design and the closed-loop heating capacity on which the rebate is calculated.
How to claim in Kitchener
- Book a free coaching session with the Region if you want a second opinion.
- Confirm eligibility on the program's short form and get the list of participating HVAC contractors.
- Choose a contractor from that list. Ask for a load calculation and the NRCan sizing tool form for each outdoor unit.
- Wait for written pre-approval before any installation starts.
- After the install, check that the contractor files the post-installation application within 30 days, with the final itemized invoice and photos.
Common questions
Can Kitchener use the RetrofitWR loan?
No. It is for GrandBridge customers in Cambridge and North Dumfries.
Is coaching free?
Yes, for homeowners across the Region.
Can a tenant apply?
No. The owner applies.
What does the quote need?
An itemized work order in the program's sample format.
What to do next
See Kitchener insulation rebates and the Ontario rebate calculator.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 9, 2026: Home Renovation Savings: heat pumps, Heat Pump Program Stream requirements (PDF), Save on Energy: Home Renovation Savings, Retrofit Waterloo Region, Statistics Canada 2021 Census, table 98-10-0233-01. All Kitchener rebates → Every Home Renovation Savings rebate →
