CleanBC Indigenous Community Heat Pump Incentive

In order to qualify for this rebate, all of the following requirements must be met. Please read them carefully. Contact an Energy Coach if you have questions.

Requirements for the home

• Community Type:
  • For fuel-switching and woodstove to heat pump projects, must be an Indigenous Community whose homes and/or community buildings are primarily heated by propane, diesel, natural gas, oil, wood or other solid fuels.
  • For efficiency projects (e.g., baseboard or electric furnace to heat pump), must be an Indigenous Community primarily served by diesel generated electricity.
• Community Support: must show proof of community support of the project (e.g., Band Council Resolution, Tribal Council Resolution, or Directors’ Resolution approving the project).
• Connected to Clean Electricity: Must have utility service with BC Hydro or FortisBC Electric or with a local municipal utility within the service territories of BC Hydro or FortisBC Electric. Remote communities powered by renewable energy generation are also eligible.
  • Remote communities powered by diesel generation are eligible for efficiency projects (e.g., baseboard or electric furnace to heat pump conversions), subject to an assessment of their energy system.
  • For questions regarding your project’s eligibility, please contact the Indigenous Community Energy Coach at ICEC@coach.betterhomesbc.ca to discuss eligibility.
• Residential Heat Pump Incentives – Housing Type: Homes eligible for the residential heat pump incentives must be one of the following types of buildings:
  • Single family detached dwelling;
  • Mobile home on a permanent foundation; or
  • Side-by-side duplex, stacked duplex, side-by-side row home or townhouse (provided that each unit has its own natural gas and/or electricity meter).

Requirements for the new equipment

The new heat pump must:

• Be eligible for the CleanBC Better Homes and Home Renovation Rebate Programs and meet the following eligibility criteria (see Program Guide for more details):
  • SEER ≥ 16.00, HSPF ≥10.00, variable speed compressor, minimum capacity of 12,000 BTU (1 ton)
  • Must be on the Air Source Qualified Product List or the Air-to-Water and Combination Heat Pump Qualified Product List
• For Community Building Heat Pump systems, please contact the Indigenous Community Energy Coach program at ICEC@coach.betterhomesbc.ca to confirm project and system eligibility.
• Eligible heat pump upgrade expenses can include expenses up to the maximum amount for the following items:
  • heat pump capital costs;
  • heat pump installation costs;
  • up to one year of heat pump maintenance costs;
  • oil tank removal costs;
  • gas system decommissioning costs;
  • electrical upgrade costs (electrical panel upgrades and associated wiring) required as part of heat pump installation;
  • ducting modification and/or cleaning costs required as part of heat pump installation;
  • additional air filtration systems added to heat pump systems; and
  • associated feasibility, energy study, or mechanical design costs for community buildings.

Requirements for the installation

• All heat pumps are recommended to be installed by a Home Performance Contractor Network (HPCN) member. In cases where this is not feasible, or where the Indigenous Community has identified a contractor that they would like to work with that is not an HPCN member, the Coach can help to ensure the contractor and installation will be carried out to the standards required by the Program. The Coach can also help identify potential contractors, or you can search for one using the contractor search tool.