British Columbians offered rebates to help with heating and cooling

voronaman/Shutterstock

The federal government has announced that it is investing up to $103 million to reduce energy costs and support climate action in BC.

As Canadians vocalize concerns about the cost of living and climate change Steven Guilbeault, federal minister of environment and climate change, said, “The funding will be used to provide grants so residents can get off the expensive oil and gas price roller coaster and switch to high-efficiency electric heat pumps.”

The funding will also help with home upgrades like energy-efficient windows and doors.

Guilbeault said the funding from the Canada Low Carbon Economy Fund and the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program will go towards providing grants to low and middle-income residents.

“We’re talking here about saving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and cutting costs for British Columbian homeowners and tenants. Installing a heat pump can provide heat for your home in the winter and cool air in the summer,” Guilbeault said. “Once you make the switch to get off oil and gas, you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year on home energy bills.”

Additionally, making the switch also helps to protect people from extreme heat by replacing the need for a separate air conditioner, Josie Osborne, minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation, added.

Since the upfront costs to switch from a heating oil system, natural gas or propane to an electric heat pump can be high, Osborne said the rebate will allow people to make the switch without breaking the bank.

“Everybody deserves a more comfortable, energy-efficient and affordable place to live,” she said, adding that British Columbians could also save up to 80% with a heat pump.

“That’s why our government is proud to be partnering with Canada to make electric heat pumps and energy efficiency upgrades more affordable for low and middle-income households,” she said.

Province investing $151 million too

Additionally, the Province announced a Clean BC Better Homes energy savings program will provide increased rebates for households switching from fossil fuels to electric heat pumps.

“With $103 million in new federal funding and $151 million in new provincial funding, we’re making major enhancements to the previous CleanBC Income Qualified Program,” Osborne said.

Enhancements include:

Expanding eligibility to include middle-income households.
Increasing the maximum rebate amount for a new heat pump from $9,500 to $16,000 (an increase of approximately 70% from the previous program). Rebate amounts will vary based on the household income and the type of heat pump that’s being installed.
Adding a top-up of up to $3,000 for people living in northern BC.
And increasing the rebate for electrical service upgrades that might be needed to install a heat pump by up to $5,000.

Osborne said today’s announcements will not impact people living in multi-unit residential buildings, apartment buildings or strata buildings. She explained that the province already offers a CleanBC Better Building Program. It is up to people in strata councils to reach out to that program to upgrade the heating system and other energy retrofits to a building.

You might also like:

How to claim your rebate

British Columbians will not have to pay upfront to switch to a heating pump or wait to get a rebate check in the mail.

Instead, eligible British Columbians can pre-register for the program to verify their income and their home eligibility.

After a contractor submits the final paperwork, the rebate amount is deducted from the cost of the upgrades.

“You only have to pay for the remainder that’s left,” Osborne said.

The program will begin in mid-June, and British Columbians can find the requirements on a website.

“If people have questions about what’s the best program or the best fit for them and their households, the province has energy advisors who can help with that program, so we encourage people to reach out and ask for that and help navigate the process,” Osborne said.

More and more homes are making the switch to heat pumps. According to Osborne, there has been an 80% increase since 2017 and the launch of the province’s CleanBC plan.