Your electric or gas utility may pay you to upgrade your home. These programs are separate from the federal rebates, they are open now, and some end soon. Here is what we could confirm in BC, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.
The cheapest upgrade is the one a utility already pays for.
Utilities have a reason to fund efficiency: a home that uses less energy means less new power to build. That is why programs from BC Hydro, Save on Energy, Efficiency Nova Scotia and Efficiency Manitoba pay for things like heat pumps, thermostats and insulation. Several offer free upgrades to households under an income line. We checked each program’s own page on October 8, 2026.
Chapter 1
British Columbia: BC Hydro
Bonus ends Oct 31Heat pump rebates
BC Hydro offers up to $4,000 for replacing an electric heating system with a heat pump. The amount depends on how much of the home the heat pump heats:
- Whole home: $4,000, if the heat pump meets 100% of the home’s heating requirements at -5°C.
- Partial home: $1,500, if it meets 50% or more of the heating requirements.
The deadline to know about: for a limited time BC Hydro adds up to $1,000 in bonus rebates if you complete and pay for an eligible air source heat pump upgrade by October 31. Its page also says the work has to be installed and paid between August 1 and October 31, and that the application is due by November 30, 2026. Bonus funds are limited. Since June 1, 2026, the installer must be a Home Performance Contractor Network member. If you complete more than one upgrade, a bonus rebate of up to $2,000 may apply.
OpenFree upgrades for income-qualified households
BC Hydro’s free home energy evaluation and upgrades program, part of the federal Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program rollout, can include heat pumps and insulation at no cost. Income is based on the prior year’s household income, and BC Hydro’s limits start at $51,100 for a one-person household and reach $135,100 for seven or more. BC Hydro directs customers to the CleanBC Better Homes Energy Savings Program for income-qualified heat pump and insulation rebates. Use the Better Homes BC questionnaire to see what you qualify for.
Chapter 2
Ontario: Save on Energy
OpenHome Renovation Savings
Delivered by Save on Energy and Enbridge Gas with the Ontario government. The amounts on the program page include up to $7,500 for a cold climate air source heat pump, $500 for a heat pump water heater, $100 for a smart thermostat, $1,250 for attic insulation, and up to $200 on appliances. Our Ontario appliance rebates guide has the full appliance list, and our home energy rebates guide has the rest.
Chapter 3
Nova Scotia: Efficiency Nova Scotia
OpenHome Energy Assessment, Moderate Income Rebate and HomeWarming
Efficiency Nova Scotia says a Home Energy Assessment is open to homeowners whose homes are at least six months old and who have not started renovations, with rebates of up to $5,000 for recommended upgrades. The Moderate Income Rebate can be stacked with the assessment rebates for a total of up to $10,000, and income limits vary by household size. HomeWarming covers building envelope upgrades, and where applicable a single-zone heat pump, for lower-income households. Heat pump water heaters qualify for an $800 instant rebate.
The Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program stopped taking new applications on July 2, 2026 in Nova Scotia, and applications already in are still being reviewed.
Chapter 4
Manitoba: Efficiency Manitoba
OpenFree heat pumps, retrofits and boiler rebates
- Free heat pump: through the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program, a qualifying home heated by an electric furnace, baseboards or an electric boiler can get a free air source heat pump, installed by a registered program contractor.
- Home Energy Retrofits: pays $75 per gigajoule saved up to the typical new-home rating, and $150 per gigajoule saved beyond it. It cannot be combined with other Efficiency Manitoba offers for the same upgrade.
- Other rebates: $5,000 for upgrading from a standard-efficiency boiler to a high-efficiency boiler, and $50 for a smart thermostat.
Some Efficiency Manitoba pages have unclear dates, so confirm current amounts on the program page before you plan a project.
How to use a utility rebate
The order of these steps protects your money.
- 1. Check the free programs firstIf your income qualifies, the upgrade can cost you nothing.
- 2. Confirm approval comes before the workSeveral programs need pre-approval or a registered contractor.
- 3. Keep the deadline in viewBC Hydro’s bonus ends October 31, with the application due November 30.
- 4. Ask about stackingSome offers cannot be combined for the same upgrade, so ask the program before you assume.
- 5. Keep every receiptYou will need quotes, invoices and model numbers to claim the rebate.
Frequently asked questions
When does the BC Hydro heat pump bonus end?
BC Hydro says the bonus of up to $1,000 requires an eligible air source heat pump upgrade to be completed and paid for by October 31, 2026, with the application due by November 30, 2026. Funds are limited.
How much does BC Hydro pay for a heat pump?
Up to $4,000 for whole-home heating and $1,500 for partial-home heating, when replacing an electric heating system.
Can I get a free heat pump in Manitoba?
Efficiency Manitoba says a qualifying home heated by an electric furnace, baseboards or an electric boiler can get a free air source heat pump through the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program.
How much can I get from Efficiency Nova Scotia?
Home Energy Assessment rebates reach up to $5,000, and stacking the Moderate Income Rebate brings the total to up to $10,000. Heat pump water heaters qualify for an $800 instant rebate.
Do utility rebates stack with the federal rebate?
The federal government says the new National Heat Pump Rebate can be combined with existing provincial programs. For each utility program, ask the administrator whether other offers can be combined.
- Sources, checked October 8, 2026: BC Hydro, heat pump rebates; BC Hydro, free home energy evaluation and upgrades; Better Homes BC; Save on Energy; Efficiency Nova Scotia; Efficiency Manitoba. Photos from Pexels.
Important: This is general information, not financial advice. Programs, amounts, income limits and deadlines change. Confirm everything on the program’s own site before you buy. Gizly is not paid by any utility or government program. See our affiliate disclosure.
