Read this before the truck comes: how to apply without losing a rebate
We are a private heat pump installer. We are not the government, and this page does not speak for it. We read the official pages and tell you what they say, with the date. The programs set their own rules, and the rules change. Updated October 22, 2026.
How to apply for a heat pump rebate in Canada
The order matters more than the paperwork. Check your province's rules first, because some programs refuse a heat pump installed before they approve it. Apply inside your province's window. For the federal rebate, there is nothing to apply for yet. Join the waitlist and we will tell you when the rules land.
Before you install, province by province
These are the gates that can cost you a provincial rebate. Each is quoted from the program's own page, read October 22, 2026.
Ontario. "Important: Pre-approval is mandatory. Installations done before approval are not eligible for rebates." Fill in the eligibility form. A participating HVAC contractor submits the pre-installation application. Install only after approval. Houses only. New builds do not qualify. Official page.
British Columbia. "All upgrades must be installed by a Home Performance Contractor Network (HPCN) member." "The heat pump(s) must be listed on the rebate-eligible heat pump list." Self-installs are not eligible. "You must submit your rebate application and all supporting documentation within six months of the invoice date." Official page.
Manitoba. "Your contractor is registered with Efficiency Manitoba." The application "must be submitted within 90 days of the installation date." It must be your primary residence, not a new home, and not replace an existing heat pump system. Official page.
Quebec. "Heat pumps installed on or after November 26, 2025, must be ENERGY STAR certified to be eligible for a grant." The installer company must hold the RBQ licence for the work, and its licence number must be on the invoice. "You must submit your request within nine months of the equipment installation date." Official page.
Nova Scotia. Book the Home Energy Assessment with a Registered Energy Advisor first. It is for homes that "have not yet started renovations". The Moderate Income Rebate needs approval "prior to beginning retrofits". The installer must be a certified Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic. "Leased Equipment is not eligible for rebate." The unit must be on the Efficiency Nova Scotia qualifying list. Official page.
Newfoundland and Labrador. The Oil to Electric program works through participating installers. Check the program page before you book. Official page.
New Brunswick. We could not confirm the conditions. Check the program page before you book. Official page.
Alberta and Saskatchewan. We found no provincial heat pump rebate. See the hub for the rest of Canada.
Now the federal part. Canada has published the rule below, and it is conditional. Criteria, the eligible heat pump list and rebate amounts are published only "as of November 1, 2026".
"Although the Rebate does not open until early 2027, the retroactivity period for the National Heat Pump Rebate starts on November 1, 2026. This means that households that meet the program's eligibility criteria and install eligible heat pumps starting on November 1, 2026, will be able to apply for the Rebate once the program launches early in 2027."
Source: canada.ca, read October 22, 2026.
Nobody has seen those criteria yet. We cannot tell you your home or your heat pump will qualify. Wait for the rules before you book.
The order that protects your rebate
- Find your province in the list above and read its gate.
- Do the provincial gate first: the approval, the assessment or the registered installer.
- Install only once the gate is cleared.
- Apply to the province inside its window: 90 days in Manitoba, six months from the invoice date in British Columbia, nine months in Quebec. Ontario's application is made before the install. Nova Scotia's assessment comes first.
- For the federal rebate, join the waitlist. The rules are not out yet.
- Keep your paperwork. A sensible set is the invoice, the model number and a photo of the old system. The federal paperwork rules are not published yet.
The federal timeline, dated
| Date | What canada.ca says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| October 22, 2026 | Last time we read the page. The rebate is "a grant of either $2,000 or up to $10,000 (for low- to median-income households)". Estimate, not guaranteed. | canada.ca |
| November 1, 2026 | Eligibility criteria, the eligible heat pump list and rebate amounts are due "as of November 1, 2026". We re-read the page after that date. | canada.ca |
| November 1, 2026 | The retroactivity period starts. The full condition: "Although the Rebate does not open until early 2027, the retroactivity period for the National Heat Pump Rebate starts on November 1, 2026. This means that households that meet the program's eligibility criteria and install eligible heat pumps starting on November 1, 2026, will be able to apply for the Rebate once the program launches early in 2027." | canada.ca |
| Early 2027 | The portal is expected to open. No date is published. | canada.ca |
The amounts above are an estimate, not guaranteed, and they are also due to be confirmed on November 1, 2026. No end date is published for the federal rebate. The retroactivity condition above applies to every line in this table.
Landlords and investors
Ownership usually matters. In Ontario, "Where an owner has tenants, the owner must apply." In Quebec, only the "Owner of an eligible home" applies. Canada has not said yet whether rentals qualify for the federal rebate. Your province's page has the detail.
Applying for a heat pump rebate: common questions
How do I apply for a heat pump rebate in Canada?
There is no single application. Each province runs its own program with its own gate, so read your province's page first. The federal rebate has no application yet. The portal is expected in early 2027.
Do I apply before or after I install?
It depends on the program. In Ontario, pre-approval comes before the install. In Manitoba, you apply within 90 days of the installation date. In Quebec, within nine months of installation. In British Columbia, within six months of the invoice date. Check your program's page.
When does the federal heat pump rebate open?
canada.ca says the Rebate does not open until early 2027. Eligibility criteria, the eligible heat pump list and rebate amounts are due as of November 1, 2026. No exact opening date is published.
How long does the rebate take?
We cannot say. No program we checked has told us a processing time we can rely on. Each program page tells you what it knows.
When does the heat pump rebate end?
canada.ca publishes no end date for the federal rebate. Provincial programs set their own, and some say they can end without notice. Look at your program's page.
Keep going
Heat Pumps Rebate is a private installer. Not the Government of Canada, not LG. Amounts are set by government programs and are not guaranteed.