CleanBC Indigenous Community Energy Coach

The Province of B.C. offers free energy coaching services to support Indigenous communities wanting to take advantage of the CleanBC Indigenous Community Heat Pump Incentive and related energy efficiency offers.

Why work with the Indigenous Community Energy Coach Program?

The Indigenous Community Energy Coach provides a free resource to:

  • Discuss funding opportunities available to support fuel-switching and energy efficiency projects, with a focus on the CleanBC Indigenous Community Heat Pump Incentive;
  • Work together to identify, assess and prioritize potential space and water heating fuel-switching and energy efficiency projects within Indigenous communities;
  • Confirm CleanBC Indigenous Community Heat Pump Incentive eligibility;
  • Assist with heat pump installation planning;
  • Provide CleanBC funding program application support; and
  • Identify additional incentives available for other retrofit upgrades.

What is the CleanBC Indigenous Community Heat Pump Incentive?

  • Funding for heat pump installation projects in residential and community buildings, including;
    • For fuel-switching projects (e.g., switching from oil, natural gas, or propane to electric heat pumps) in communities served by renewable electricity (either grid or remote);
    • For efficiency projects (e.g., baseboard or electric furnace to electric heat pump) projects in remote communities served by diesel-generated electricity; and
    • For woodstove primary heated homes switching to electric heat pumps in communities served by renewable electricity (either grid or remote).
  • Can be used to top-up other grant or incentive funding to cover up to 100% of eligible heat pump system costs;
  • Covers capital and installation costs;
  • Covers some associated expenses including electrical updates, oil tank removal, and feasibility studies for community buildings. For a full list of eligible expenses please review the Program Guide.

CleanBC Indigenous Community Energy Coach Program Offers

Residential (e.g., on-reserve housing) Community Buildings (e.g., administration office)
  • Up to 80% of the cost of new heat pump installation(s), up to a maximum of $12,000 per residential heat pump.
  • For homes switching from woodstove primary to electric heat pumps:
    • $3,500 for a mini-split heat pump
    • $6,500 for a central heat pump system
  • Up to 80% of the cost of new heat pump installation(s) and up to $200,000 total per community building heat pump.
A total maximum funding of $200,000 is available for each Indigenous Community program application, and intake is limited to one funding application per fiscal year.

Program Steps

Step 1

Project Scoping

  • Community identifies proposed project (Coach can assist).
  • In-person meeting with Coach to learn about the Program and potential incentive eligibility.

Step 2

Registration

  • Indigenous Community registers with the Program (Coach can assist).
  • Indigenous Community identifies Heat Pump contractor and receives quote (Coach can assist).

Step 3

Installation

  • Contractor provides heat pump details to Indigenous Community and Coach to confirm system eligibility.
  • Contractor completes installation in participant community.

Step 4

Payment

  • Incentive application submitted to BC Hydro (Coach can assist).
  • Payment issued to participant community.
  • Exit survey, quality assurance, measurement & verification.

Community Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Communities include Indigenous communities falling into one of the following categories:

  1. A First Nation “band” as defined by the Indian Act (Canada);
  2. A First Nation governing body, representing exclusively one or more First Nations;
  3. Treaty First Nation governments and Nisga’a Government.

Remote communities that are served by diesel electricity generation may be eligible for heat pump incentives for energy efficiency projects (e.g., baseboard or electric furnace to electric heat pump conversions), subject to an assessment of their energy system.  Please contact the Program at ICEC@betterhomesbc.ca to discuss eligibility.

For more information

  • For more information on the Indigenous Community Energy Coach Program and the Indigenous Community Heat Pump Incentive, contact ICEC@betterhomesbc.ca
  • For general information about available rebates, incentives and programs, contact betterhomesbc.ca at ask@betterhomesbc.ca or call: 1-844-881-9790