Please note: Final deadlines to apply for the Indigenous Community Conservation furnace/boiler rebates:
- Eligible equipment must be installed and all invoices must be dated on or before December 31, 2023.
- You have up to 12 months from the invoice date to submit your rebate application.
- Example: if the invoice date is October 15, 2023, your rebate application must be submitted by October 15, 2024.
- Exception: Homes in climate zone 6 and higher will be eligible for a furnace or boiler rebate after December 31, 2023.
The Indigenous Communities Conservation Program is for Indigenous communities in FortisBC’s service territory who plan to or are already in the process of improving the energy efficiency of existing homes in their community. This program must be administered through your housing department.
We’re there to work with your community throughout the upgrade process, from assisting with applications to ensuring eligible energy-efficient products are selected. Before beginning work, review the program terms and conditions to see details about eligibility and requirements for upgrades.
How to apply for rebates
First, apply to the program by completing the online form. Once we receive your information, we will send you an Excel workbook that you can use to log the energy-efficiency upgrades completed at each home.
When the work is complete, you can send us the Excel workbook, along with paid invoices and any other required documentation. Please see the program terms and conditions for full details.
Available rebates
This table summarizes rebates available for improving the health, safety and energy efficiency of existing homes in Indigenous communities. Review the terms and conditions for upgrade-specific requirements.
| Upgrade1 | Rebate | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Health and safety improvements | up to $1,500 per home | For supporting activities (e.g. drywall repair, soffit repair, pest management, mold/moisture remediation, radon, and asbestos remediation) necessary for rebate-eligible building envelope upgrades (insulation, windows or doors) to occur. |
| Air source heat pumps | up to $5,000 per home | For eligible central (ducted) or variable-speed multi- or mini-split (ductless) air source heat pumps in homes primarily heated by electricity supplied by FortisBC. |
| Electric heat pump water heaters | up to $2,500 per home | For eligible Tier 2 or higher models used for primary water heating in homes that use electricity supplied by FortisBC. |
| ENERGY STAR® certified appliances | Chest freezer: up to $500 per home Refrigerator: up to $1,000 per home | For replacing existing appliances that were manufactured before 2008 with comparably sized eligible fridges and freezers in homes that use electricity supplied by FortisBC. |
| High-efficiency natural gas boilers | $2,000 per home | For eligible boilers used for primary space heating that are at least 94% AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency). |
| High-efficiency natural gas furnaces | 95 to 96.9% AFUE: $2,000 per home 97 to 99% AFUE: $3,000 per home | For eligible furnaces with 95 to 96.9% AFUE or
97 to 99% AFUE, used for primary space
heating; add an eligible ENERGY STAR® connected
thermostat for an additional $150 rebate. |
| High-efficiency natural gas water heaters | Storage tank: $500 per home Condensing tankless: $2,500 per home | For eligible ENERGY STAR® storage tank and tankless water heaters used for primary water heating. |
| Insulation | up to $2,000 per area | For adding/upgrading insulation to meet minimum R values in
|
| Ventilation | Up to $1200 per ventilation system; maximum $2400 per home | For installing eligible ENERGY STAR® bathroom fans and ducting to outside (if they enable energy-saving upgrades to occur, such as windows or insulation). |
| Windows and doors | U-factor 1.22 W/m2K or lower; $700 per window, maximum $7,500 per home | For replacing existing exterior windows and doors with eligible windows and doors. See terms and conditions or contact us for more information. |
| Two-upgrade bonus offer | $300 per home | Bonus for having at least two eligible upgrades installed. Not all rebates qualify toward the bonus offer. See terms and conditions or contact us for more information. |
Please note: Final deadlines to apply for offers within the 2023 Indigenous Communities New Home Program:
- December 31, 2023–final date for builders to submit pre-registration form.
- December 31, 2025–final date for projects to be completed.
- You have up to six months from the invoice date to submit your rebate application.
- Example: if the invoice date is October 15, 2025, your rebate application must be submitted by April 15, 2026.
Projects that haven’t pre-registered and/or receive their building permits in 2024 will be eligible for rebates under a revised New Home program.
For Indigenous communities that are building new non-profit housing (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. section 95) or homes owned or rented by community members, this program aligns with the BC Energy Step Code and provides a choice between two enhanced rebate options for building high-performance single family homes, duplexes and townhouses:
- Option A: build homes to BC Energy Step Code 2 or higher using natural gas space and water heating (or electric space and water heating in FortisBC's electricity service area) to qualify for home performance rebates of $4,000 to $13,000. Additional rebates are available for hiring program-qualified energy advisor support, and for appliances and equipment such as EnerChoice® fireplaces, drain water heat recovery systems and more.
- Option B: build homes to Step Code 1 or minimum building code and choose from a variety of rebates, including high-efficiency water heaters. Though not required, support for hiring a program-qualified energy advisor is available to help maximize efficiency.
We also provide funding to support energy-efficient design of homes. For homes built to Step Code 3, 4 or 5, you may be eligible to receive up to $7,000 toward consulting fees of Integrated Design Process (IDP) consultants, building science consultants and/or mechanical design specialists.
This program must be administered through your housing department. Review the New Home Program terms and conditions or contact us for full details.
1Terms and conditions apply to these programs. FortisBC may modify or cancel programs at any time without notice.