B.C. Increases Heat-Pump Rebates to Boost Adoption
More B.C. residents will now be eligible for heat pump rebates as the province steps up efforts to encourage the switch in the fight against climate change.
On Wednesday, the government announced the expansion of the heat-pump rebate program, broadening eligibility for financial assistance. Under the new guidelines, a family of four with a combined pre-tax annual income of $185,620 or less can receive a rebate of up to $10,500 when they switch to a heat pump. This is a significant increase from the previous income threshold of $114,647 for a family of four.
In May, both the federal and provincial governments committed a quarter of a billion dollars to fund 16,000 heat pumps for single-family homeowners in B.C. This initiative aims to promote the use of electric heat pumps for heating and cooling homes, replacing gas or oil-powered systems, and thereby reducing carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.
The expanded program is managed through the Clean B.C. Income Qualified Program.
According to the government, the average heat-pump installation costs between $8,000 and $19,000, depending on the equipment type and heating load. For families of four with an annual income below $87,350, the rebate has been increased to $16,000, up from $9,500. Additional rebates are also available for electrical-service upgrades and for residents of northern B.C. communities, potentially bringing the total rebate amount to $24,000 for some families.
Participants will not need to pay upfront for heat-pump installations. Instead, applicants register for the program to verify eligibility. Once the upgrades are completed by a program-approved contractor, the contractor submits the final rebate application and deducts the rebate amount from the final cost of the upgrade.
Currently, only about 13 percent of B.C. households use heat pumps, and there are an estimated 28,000 homes in the province heated with oil, which is more expensive than electricity. The expanded rebate program aims to make the switch to heat pumps more accessible and affordable for more residents, contributing to the province’s climate action goals.
