Insulation rebates

Sebastian and Mickey from HGTV Canada’s Worst to First say a properly insulated home makes it more comfortable and reduces heating costs.

Adding or upgrading insulation is a cost-effective renovation to increase the energy efficiency and comfort of your home all year round.  

Eligibility

1. You must be either:
   1. a residential FortisBC natural gas and/or BC Hydro customer
   2. a residential FortisBC or municipal electricity customer of Grand Forks, Penticton, Summerland or Nelson Hydro
2. The home must be a single-family, duplex, row, townhouse or mobile home on a permanent foundation.
3. Apartments, condos and stacked homes do not qualify for this program.

Review all the terms and conditions.

Rebate details  

R-value explained and other requirements

• R-value is a measure of resistance to heat flow. As heat spontaneously flows from warm areas to colder areas, the higher the R-value of insulation, the more effectively it will prevent (resist) heat from escaping your home in winter. In summer it does the opposite, by helping to prevent warm outside air from entering your cooler home.
• Insulation products must meet the applicable Canadian national thermal insulation standards. Only products with Canadian thermal resistivity values (R-values) provided by the manufacturer are accepted. “System values” or values of materials not tested to Canadian national thermal insulation standards cannot be used for determining the amount of insulation added.
• Batt, loose fill, board and spray foam are eligible insulation types.
• Read one homeowner's story about why Upgrading insulation isn't a DIY job.
• Insulation must be installed by a contractor with a valid BC business licence. CleanBC Better Homes has a list of program-registered insulation contractors.
• Insulation must be installed in accordance with BC Housing’s Best Practice Guide for Air Sealing and Insulation Retrofits.
• If there are any issues with pest infestations or rodent tunnels in insulation, they must be remediated before receiving the rebate.

How to apply  

1. Apply online within six months of completing your installations with the following information: 
   • your FortisBC natural gas and/or electricity account number, or municipal electricity account number from Grand Forks, Penticton, Summerland or Nelson Hydro
   • your email
   • scanned copies of all paid invoices showing details of all work performed, including the purchase date, make, model and installation permit numbers (if applicable). Invoices for insulation rebate applications should indicate the location(s) of installation, type of insulation (batt, loose fill, board or spray foam), the R-value of new insulation added and the total amount of insulation added in square feet. See a sample invoice for insulation.

2. If you’re not the utility account holder (e.g. property is a rental), have the account holder complete the consent form.

3. Applications may take up to 90 days to process.

Third-party offers and services

CleanBC

For advice on options and incentives for energy-efficiency upgrades for homes, contact the CleanBC Energy Coach. Energy Coaches are trained energy-efficiency specialists who provide building-science based information about the options and opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of your home or building. Note: FortisBC is not responsible for any advice provided by the energy coach.

Program Registered Contractors for Insulation who have completed training with FortisBC and BC Hydro on industry best practices for installing insulation and our rebate program requirements are listed on CleanBC’s website. Note: FortisBC does not guarantee or assume any liability for any work performed by the program registered contractors and is simply offering training to better educate contractors.

Additional resources

Stay safe. Test your home for radon.

Radon is a naturally occurring, odourless gas in the soil that can enter your home through the foundation or plumbing. Exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test. Learn more about the health risks of radon and home testing and mitigation.

Best practice guide for air sealing and insulation retrofits

Insulation must be installed in accordance with the BC Housing’s Best practice guide for air sealing and insulation retrofits.

We’re here to help

For questions about applying for rebates, contact Energy Coach.

For questions about the status of your home renovation rebate application, email homerebates@fortisbc.com and reference your application number.

This program is funded in part, by the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.