B.C. expands heat pump rebates to include individual units in multi-residence buildings

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 09, 2025 3:24 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

An enlargement of the province's vigor pump rebate programme is targeted astatine making cleanable vigor retrofitting affordable to low- and middle-income households, including renters, B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix announced Wednesday.

"Since our authorities started providing incentives for radical to marque the power to vigor pumps, we͛'ve seen a immense uptake crossed the province, but outgo is inactive a obstruction for many," said Dix successful a connection announcing the program's expansion.

B.C. volition put $50 cardinal implicit each of the adjacent 2 fiscal years, which it says volition supply up to 8,300 rebates.

Those surviving successful multi-unit residential buildings tin use for up to $5,500 successful rebates for a ductless mini-split vigor pump. The state did not clarify successful its archetypal connection what income requirements oregon different metrics imaginable applicants indispensable conscionable to suffice for the rebate.

Through a concern with BC Hydro and FortisBC, the state is besides offering heat-pump installations to the lowest-income households successful homes and idiosyncratic units successful residential buildings.

Heat pumps are an electrical heating strategy that contiguous a much businesslike alternate to accepted indoor clime power systems by transferring lukewarm and chill aerial alternatively of generating it. They tin besides beryllium installed successful summation to existing heating oregon cooling systems successful a location to signifier a hybrid system.

Switching from fossil fuels to vigor pumps tin prevention households up to 80 per cent connected their vigor bills, the state says, with the mean outgo of installing a vigor pump between $8,000 and $19,000.

More than 13 per cent of B.C. households presently usage vigor pumps, which fig astir 275,000 crossed the province, according to B.C. Hydro.

In 2023, the B.C. authorities besides launched a programme offering escaped aerial conditioners to low-income households. It says much than 27,000 escaped units person been installed by BC Hydro since it began.

Last year, the authorities expanded eligibility for that program, changing the combined wage scope for a household of 4 from $114,647 a twelvemonth to $185,620. The state is offering those families a rebate of up to $10,500.

Homeowners are besides capable to use for up to $5,000 to enactment the installation of a vigor pump by upgrading their electrical service.

According to BC Hydro, income of vigor pumps began to transcend those of furnaces successful 2022.