What Home Renovation Savings pays for a heat pump in Thunder Bay
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.
Thunder Bay: 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.
Thunder Bay housing
The 2021 Census counts 21,420 owner-occupied detached houses built before 1981, 73% of households in homes of that age, 73% in an eligible house type and 68% owning. 7.6% report needing major repairs. 16% live in low-rise apartments and 2,390 in duplexes.
Which sizing option
Electric, oil and wood homes must choose NRCan sizing option C or D. In Thunder Bay's climate that is the sensible choice anyway, because a system sized mainly for cooling would leave the backup working hard. Ask the contractor to share the NRCan sizing form so you can see the design load and the capacity at design temperature.
Ground-source in the north
Ground-source pays $2,000 per ton up to $12,000 for electric, oil, propane and wood homes. It must be sized to the full heating load and installed as a complete system, with direct-expansion not allowed. With a January low of -14.2°C, stable ground temperatures help, but lot and soil conditions decide feasibility.
Free help
The Energy Affordability Program from Save on Energy offers free upgrades to income-qualified households. Its comprehensive support can include cold-climate heat pumps for oil-heated homes, so an eligible household should check it before paying for a heat pump or applying for a rebate.
The approval comes before the crew
The participant agreement is accepted only if the pre-installation application is approved in writing. An installation done before approval earns nothing. A Thunder Bay owner with a short building season should schedule the approval first, because a delay in paperwork can push the install into winter.
After installation
The contractor files within 30 days with the final itemized invoice, photos of the installed equipment and thermostat, and measure details. The cheque arrives within 60 days of approval. Keep copies of the invoice and approval.
How to claim in Thunder Bay
- Ask for the NRCan sizing form before you choose a contractor.
- 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
Which sizing options qualify for electric homes?
C and D.
How cold is Thunder Bay?
The January average low is -14.2 degrees Celsius.
Is direct-expansion ground-source eligible?
No.
Is there free help?
Yes, for income-qualified households.
What to do next
See Thunder Bay 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, Statistics Canada 2021 Census, table 98-10-0233-01. All Thunder Bay rebates → Every Home Renovation Savings rebate →
