Heat pump rebate – income qualified

Income-qualified residential electricity customers who are switching from electric resistance heating, such as furnaces or baseboards, to high-efficiency heat pumps can choose to participate in either the whole home heating rebate or partial home heating rebate:

1. Whole home heating rebate: You could receive up to $12,000 when you complete a heat load calculation and install an eligible cold-climate heat pump. This type of heat pump provides the necessary heat for your home in winter to help increase your energy savings.
2. Partial home heating rebate: If you’re not eligible for the whole home heating rebate, you could get up to $5,000 with a partial home heating rebate when you have an eligible heat pump installed.

Your contractor can help you identify the rebate-eligible model right for your home. In general, mini-split or multi-split systems (also called “ductless” heat pumps) are designed for homes with an existing electric heating system that doesn’t use ducts, like baseboards. Central heat pumps are for homes with a heating system with ducts, such as a furnace.

1. You must be a residential FortisBC or municipal electricity customer of Grand Forks, Penticton, Summerland or Nelson Hydro with only one active residential electricity account, upgrading the heating system at your primary residence.
2. The registered homeowner(s) of the primary residence must be listed on the active residential FortisBC account and own only one property in British Columbia.
3. Your combined annual household income (from all sources) must be below the maximum shown for your household size. Proof of income is required.

   Household size	Maximum household income
   1 person	$51,100
   2 person	$63,600
   3 person	$78,200
   4 person	$94,900
   5 person	$108,000
   6 person	$121,400
   7+ person	$135,100

4. The home must be a year-round primary residence that is at least 10 years old, no larger than 3,500 square feet in total and be one of the following: single-family, duplex, triplex, row home, townhouse or manufactured/mobile home on a permanent foundation.
5. Rebates cannot exceed the paid cost on the invoice and cannot be combined with other provincial- or federal-funded rebate programs. Applicants who have applied for or received rebates under other programs are not eligible for this rebate.
6. Only one rebate per home for a primary space heating system¹.

Heat pump-specific requirements

1. The heat pump must be installed by a Home Performance Contractor Network member in good standing (meets all training and/or related requirements), in accordance with the Heat Pump Best Practices Installation Guide for Existing Homes.
2. The new heat pump must be sufficiently sized to function as the primary heating system¹ for the home.
• The Whole Home Heating rebate requires a program-approved heat load calculation to properly size the system. Rule of thumb equipment sizing will not be accepted.
3. The heat pump must replace an existing hard-wired electric heating system, such as electric baseboards, radiant ceiling, radiant floors or an electric forced-air furnace. Emergency replacements of broken electrical systems are not eligible.
4. Replacing an existing heat pump, or adding a head to an existing heat pump, does not qualify for a rebate.
5. The home must be primarily heated by electricity¹. The supplemental heating system cannot use natural gas, oil or propane.

1. You may request an income qualification code by submitting your proof of income in advance so we can verify your household meets the maximum income threshold.
2. Review the terms and conditions.
3. Apply online within one year of the invoice date along with the following information:
• your FortisBC electricity account number or municipal electricity account number from Grand Forks, Penticton, Summerland or Nelson Hydro
• your email address
• your proof of income
• a scanned copy of your paid invoice (see a sample invoice)

Additional details

The application link takes you to Account login. Once you've registered and/or logged in you can start your application. Hint: we recommend using Google Chrome^® for the best experience.

Income qualified rebate program terms and conditions

Submit a copy of one of the following for each member of your household over 18 years of age. Ensure all personal details are blacked out, except your name, the effective date and income or benefit amount, where applicable.

• Notice of Assessment (NOA): submit a copy of your NOA from the Canada Revenue Agency for a current income tax return. Black out all information except for your name, effective date and income (line 15000 on NOA).
• Social Assistance: submit your monthly cheque stub, or a printed copy of your Confirmation of Assistance if registered for My Self Serve.
• Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER): submit either your SAFER cheque stub, acknowledgment letter or benefit change letter from BC Housing.
• Rental Assistance Program: submit your Rental Assistance Program acknowledgment or benefit change letter from BC Housing.
• National Child Benefit Supplement: submit your benefit notice from Canada Revenue Agency.
• Other income: if applicable, provide documentation of foreign, rental and/or other income.
• Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS): submit your GIS notice.

How to get your Notice of Assessment

• If you have your most current NOA, send us a copy with your application.
• If you do not have your NOA, use Canada Revenue Agency’s My Account service to view and print a copy of your information.
• You can also call them to request your NOA at 1-800-959-8281. Agents are available Monday to Friday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., and are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Ecolighten Energy Solutions and It’s On Electric Consulting

As we work to continuously improve our programs, we'll be asking some applicants to provide access to their home to verify the installation and operation of their new heat pump. This work is being carried out by third-party contractors, Ecolighten Energy Solutions and It's On Electric Consulting. Participation in this program requires the selected applicants to provide these contractors access so as to ensure all measures have been met.

The site visit may be conducted either in-person or virtually using an app such as FaceTime or Google Hangouts. Staff will always call or email in advance to book a site visit appointment with you. Their staff also carry photo ID badges identifying them as FortisBC contractors.