Updated August 2026
Heat Pump Rebates in BC: What Nanaimo Homeowners Can Claim
Nanaimo homeowners replacing electric baseboards can claim $4,000 through the Home Renovation Rebate Program, which has no income test. Fossil-fuel conversions are funded only through the income-qualified CleanBC Energy Savings Program, where a central ducted system reaches $13,000 at Level 1. Replacing an existing heat pump is not eligible for any provincial rebate.
Updated August 2026
Two provincial programs decide what a Nanaimo heat pump actually costs, and they work differently. The Home Renovation Rebate Program is open to every homeowner regardless of income. The CleanBC Energy Savings Program is income-qualified, and it is now the only place fossil-fuel conversion money exists.
A heat pump rebate is a post-installation payment from a utility or government program that reimburses part of the cost of switching to a high-efficiency heat pump.
Rebate-eligible work must be done by a registered contractor as part ofNew roof installation.
Home Renovation Rebate Program: no income test
The Home Renovation Rebate Program is co-delivered by BC Hydro and FortisBC and applies no income test, which makes it the program most Nanaimo households qualify for. Replacing electric baseboards with a heat pump pays $4,000 for a whole-home system and $1,500 for a partial-home system.
Two bonuses stack on top of that: the Home Energy Improvement Bonus adds up to $2,000, and a 2026 promotional bonus adds up to $1,000.
Since April 11, 2025 this program has paid no fossil-fuel-switching rebate outside northern BC. A Nanaimo household converting from natural gas, propane or oil must use the income-qualified program below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Electric baseboards to heat pump — whole home | $4,000 |
| Electric baseboards to heat pump — partial home | $1,500 |
| Home Energy Improvement Bonus (stacks) | up to $2,000 |
| 2026 promotional bonus (stacks) | up to $1,000 |
CleanBC Energy Savings Program: income-qualified only
Every fossil-fuel conversion rebate in British Columbia now sits inside the CleanBC Energy Savings Program, and every amount in this section requires income qualification. Three levels apply, set by combined pre-tax household income and household size: Level 1 pays the most, Level 3 the least.
The amounts in the two tables below took effect on July 6, 2026.
| System installed | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ductless single-head | $5,500 | $4,500 | $1,000 |
| Ductless 2-head | $11,000 | $5,500 | $1,000 |
| Central ducted | $13,000 | $7,000 | $3,500 |
| System installed | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ductless single-head | $7,000 | $5,000 | $3,000 |
| Ductless 2-head | $11,000 | $5,500 | $3,000 |
| Central ducted | $13,000 | $7,000 | $3,500 |
Replacing an existing heat pump is not eligible
No provincial rebate covers replacing a heat pump that is already in place. Adding a head to an existing system is not eligible. Adding a second heat pump is not eligible. Both programs fund a change of heating fuel or a move off electric resistance heat — not an upgrade to equipment that is already a heat pump.
The source language is explicit. The CleanBC Energy Savings Program states: “Replacing, adding to an existing heat pump or adding a secondary heat pump to a home with an existing heat pump is not eligible.” The Home Renovation Rebate Program states: “Replacing an existing heat pump or adding a head to an existing heat pump are not eligible.”
The single exception is FortisBC's $50 heat pump maintenance rebate, which pays for servicing rather than replacement.
Nanaimo Heat Pumps confirms this before preparing a quote, because a replacement priced on the assumption of a rebate is a price that will not hold.
Electric baseboards under the Energy Savings Program
Income-qualified households replacing electric baseboards receive $5,000 under the CleanBC Energy Savings Program, and that amount is available at Level 1 only — Levels 2 and 3 pay nothing toward a baseboard conversion.
A household that does not income-qualify uses the Home Renovation Rebate Program instead, where the same conversion pays $4,000 whole-home with no income test.
Income thresholds that set the level
Level is set by combined pre-tax household income together with the number of people in the household. The figures below are ceilings: a four-person Nanaimo household under $94,900 qualifies at Level 1, under $118,600 at Level 2, and under $189,800 at Level 3.
| Household size | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $51,100 | $63,900 | $102,100 |
| 2 people | $63,600 | $79,500 | $127,200 |
| 3 people | $78,200 | $97,700 | $156,300 |
| 4 people | $94,900 | $118,600 | $189,800 |
| 5 people | $107,600 | $134,500 | $215,200 |
| 6 people | $121,400 | $151,700 | $242,700 |
| 7+ people | $135,100 | $168,900 | $270,200 |
These figures reflect the programs as of August 2026, and the CleanBC Energy Savings Program amounts changed on July 6, 2026. Program funding is limited and awarded first-come, first-served. Nanaimo Heat Pumps confirms current eligibility and amounts in writing before any work is booked.
Electrical upgrades and property value caps
Electrical service upgrade support of $1,500 to $5,000 is available under the CleanBC Energy Savings Program, and only on fossil-fuel conversions — a baseboard conversion does not attract it.
The program also applies property assessed-value caps ranging from $1.2 million to $1.82 million, so a higher-assessed Nanaimo property can fall outside the program regardless of household income.
Local rebates in the Nanaimo area
The City of Nanaimo municipal top-up is fully subscribed, and nothing is currently available through it.
The Regional District of Nanaimo offers a $2,000 rebate for fossil-fuel-to-heat-pump conversions and is currently open, but only in electoral areas A, B, C, E, F, G and H. The City of Nanaimo and Lantzville are explicitly excluded. The fossil-fuel system must be fully removed, and replacing equipment that has already broken down is not eligible. Applications run from January 1 to December 14.
Eligibility: contractor, paperwork and equipment
Installation by a registered contractor is mandatory under both programs. Self-installations and equipment bought directly by the homeowner are not eligible, and no part of either program provides an exception.
The contractor must belong to the Home Performance Contractor Network. Under the CleanBC Energy Savings Program the contractor submits the application within six months of the invoice date, with the rebate itemized on the invoice itself.
The equipment must appear on the BC Qualified Heat Pump Product List: AHRI certified, a minimum of 12,000 BTU, and rated at SEER 16 or higher with HSPF 10 or higher, or SEER2 15.2 or higher with HSPF2 8.5 or higher.
The rebate process, step by step
- 1
Eligibility check — a free in-home assessment confirms the existing heating system, which of the two programs applies, and whether the household income-qualifies.
- 2
Quote and system selection — a flat-rate written quote for a heat pump listed on the BC Qualified Heat Pump Product List.
- 3
Installation by a registered contractor — installation by a Home Performance Contractor Network member, with permits pulled as part of the job.
- 4
Paperwork and payout — an itemized invoice showing the rebate, submitted within six months of the invoice date.
For pricing, see the heat pump cost guide. Nanaimo Roofers servesNanaimo andLantzville.See alsopermits and inspections.
To find out which rebates your home qualifies for, request a free quote and Nanaimo Heat Pumps will confirm the amounts in writing.