New Home Program

Photo credits: LSP Media

horizontal-line-red

Please note final deadlines to apply for 2023 New Home Program:

  • December 31, 2023–final date for builders to have submitted their pre-registration form.
  • December 31, 2025-final date for projects to be completed. You have up to six months from project completion to submit your rebate application (June 30, 2026 the latest).

Note: FortisBC is designing a new program for 2024 which will address the revised DSM regulation and the building code changes.

horizontal-line-red

The New Home Program aligns with the BC Energy Step Code, providing builders with rebates when building high-performance homes. Additional rebates are also available for drain water heat recovery systems, connected thermostats and more.

For projects located in our gas service areas, connecting to our gas system will provide buyers access to renewable and low carbon gas options. It’s all part of our commitment to transform B.C.’s energy future by helping customers lower their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and supporting the Province’s Roadmap to 2030.

2023 program eligibility

  1. To qualify for rebates, the home(s) must meet this criteria:
    • new construction
    • built on a permanent foundation
    • built in FortisBC’s gas or electricity service areas
    • a maximum of three storeys high
    • one of the following:
      • detached house (may include a secondary suite)
      • attached house (e.g. semi-detached, townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, row house or attached house with or without a secondary suite)
      • laneway home
  2. a New Home Program pre-registration form must be submitted on or before December 31, 2023.
  3. Applications must be submitted within six months of project completion (Projects must be completed by December 31, 2025).

Note: rebates for the construction of multi-family buildings, such as condos, fall under our Commercial New Construction Performance Program.

1 The program and its terms and conditions, including deadline and rebate amounts, are subject to change, or be terminated, at any time without notice.

Terms and conditions

Review all the terms and conditions.

2023 rebate details

Build a home to BC Energy Step Code 2 or higher using gas space and water heating (or electricity space and water heating in FortisBC’s electricity service area) to qualify for home performance rebates of $3,000 to $10,000, program qualified energy advisor support rebates and more.

Note: projects in the City of Vancouver are subject to the performance standards of the Vancouver building bylaw.

Home performance
Rebate

Step Code 2

$3,000

Step Code 3 

$4,000

Step Code 4

$6,000

Step Code 5

$10,000

Program-qualified energy advisor supportRebate
You must have hired a program-qualified energy advisor to qualify for home performance rebates. The advisor will help maximize the efficiency of your project and the rebate will help you offset your costs.

$800 to the builder

$200 to the energy advisor

Equipment and appliancesRebate

ENERGY STAR certified gas dryer

$100

EnerChoice gas fireplace

$500

Drain water heat recovery system

$250

ENERGY STAR connected thermostat

$100

Furnace manufacturer connected thermostats

$100

ENERGY STAR electric dryer2

$100 to $250

ENERGY STAR washer2

$100

ENERGY STAR fridge2

$50 to $100

2 Only available for homes built in FortisBC’s electricity service area, including Grand Forks, Penticton, Nelson and Summerland.

Builders can receive up to $7,000 to cover consulting fees of Integrated Design Process (IDP) consultants, building science consultants and/or mechanical design specialists on individual homes. Multi-family projects can receive up to $50,000. More details here.

Build a home to minimum code or BC Energy Step Code 1 and you can choose from a variety of rebates including high-efficiency water heaters.

Note: projects in the city of Vancouver are not eligible for high-efficiency water heater rebates.

High-efficiency gas water heaterRebate

ENERGY STAR qualifying storage tank

$500

ENERGY STAR condensing tankless

$1,000

ENERGY STAR condensing storage tank

$1,000

ENERGY STAR combination heating and hot water system

$1,200

P9 certified combination heating and hot water system

$1,200
High-efficiency electric water heater2Rebate

Heat pump water heater2

$2,000

Program-qualified energy advisor supportRebate
While not required for Option B we recommend you work with a program qualified energy advisor to maximize the efficiency of your project. A rebate is also available to help you offset your costs. $800 to the builder

$200 to the energy advisor
Equipment and appliancesRebate

ENERGY STAR certified gas dryer

$100

EnerChoice gas fireplace

$500

Drain water heat recovery system

$250

ENERGY STAR connected thermostat

$100

Furnace manufacturer connected thermostats

$100

ENERGY STAR electric dryer2

$100 to $250

ENERGY STAR washer2

$100

ENERGY STAR fridge2

$50 to $100

2 Only available for homes built in FortisBC’s electricity service area, including Grand Forks, Penticton, Nelson and Summerland.

2023 application steps

Click the dropdown arrow on the applicable option for details on how to apply.

  1. A New Home Program pre-registration form must have been submitted on or before December 31, 2023.
  2. The program-qualified energy advisor has all the necessary tools and will submit the application on your behalf.
  3. Applications must be submitted within six months of project completion (projects must be completed by December 31, 2025).
  4. If you qualify, we’ll mail your rebate in the form of a cheque. Please allow up to 90 days to process.
  1. A New Home Program pre-registration form must have been submitted on or before December 31, 2023.
  2. After purchasing and installing eligible appliances and products, apply online. If applying for multiple homes, please contact your energy solutions manager for a bulk application.
  3. Applications must be submitted within six months of project completion (projects must be completed by December 31, 2025).
  4. If you qualify, we’ll mail you the rebate in the form of a cheque. Please allow up to 90 days to process.

Additional information

Building new homes to higher steps of the BC Energy Step Code

Learn how new home builders and developers are achieving the higher steps of the BC Energy Step Code.

Support for Indigenous communities

Indigenous communities may qualify for enhanced New Home Program rebates. To learn more, please contact us at [email protected] or call 1-866-884-8833 and select option 4.

We’re here to help

For advice on the energy-efficiency options best suited for your project, or help with understanding the BC Energy Step Code, or completing your rebate application, contact a gas energy solutions manager or a program qualified energy advisor or submit your inquiry online.