CleanBC Income Qualified Program Rebates for Ductless Mini-Splits, Ductless Multi-Splits, and Central Ducted Air Source Heat Pumps

Space heating is the largest use of energy in homes. A properly installed heat pump is two to three times more efficient than other alternatives and can provide you with both heating and cooling for today’s cold winters and hot summers.

A ductless mini-split (single-head) and a multi-split (multi-head) heat pump distributes heat and cooling without using ducting. Wall-mounted indoor heads provide zonal heating to the rooms in which the heads are installed. A central ducted heat pump distributes heat and cooling through ductwork connected to vents in each room, similar to how a furnace distributes heated air. For more information, see What is a heat pump and what are its benefits?

CleanBC Income Qualified Program Rebates for Ductless Mini-Splits, Ductless Multi-Splits, and Central Ducted Air Source Heat Pumps

Overview

Rebate amount

Up to $9,500

Who can apply

B.C. citizens who live in an eligible home, meet income qualification requirements, and have residential utility accounts with BC Hydro, FortisBC, or municipal utility

Deadline

The application and supporting documentation must be submitted by the Income Qualified Program Registered Contractor within six (6) months of the invoice date

Qualifying products

Upgrades must be installed by an Income Qualified Program Registered Contractor and be on the qualified product list

Funding provided by

The Province of British Columbia and BC Hydro

For assistance with this program, contact an Income Qualified Program Energy Coach by email at IncomeQualified@betterhomesbc.ca or by phone at 1-833-856-0333.

Rebate amount

Homes converting from natural gas, propane or oil

Central ducted heat pump, ductless mini-split heat pump, ductless multi-split heat pump

HSPF ≥ 10.00 and SEER ≥ 16.00
or HSPF2 ≥ 8.50 and SEER2 ≥ 15.20*
Variable speed compressor required
Must be on the qualified product list

Rebate maximum

Rebate

Income Level 1

95% of eligible upgrade costs, up to a maximum of $9,500 per home

Up to $9,500

Income Level 2

60% of eligible upgrade costs, up to a maximum of $9,500 per home

Up to $9,500

Homes converting from electricity, wood or solid fuels

Central ducted heat pump, ductless mini-split heat pump, or ductless multi-split heat pump

HSPF ≥ 10.00 and SEER ≥ 16.00
or HSPF2 ≥ 8.50 and SEER2 ≥ 15.20*
Variable speed compressor required
Must be on the qualified product list

Rebate maximum

Rebate

Income Level 1

95% of eligible upgrade costs, up to a maximum of $5,000 per home

Up to $5,000

Income Level 2

60% of eligible upgrade costs, up to a maximum of $5,000 per home

Up to $5,000

*The CleanBC Income Qualified Program will accept either the HSPF/SEER or HSPF2/SEER2 testing standard data from AHRI. The new HSPF2/SEER2 testing standard tests heat pumps to a higher standard that better represents homes in Canada, resulting in different efficiency data. An eligible heat pump that meets either the HSPF/SEER requirements or the HSPF2/SEER2 requirements and is on our qualified product list will qualify for a rebate.

CleanBC Income Qualified Program rebates cannot be combined with rebates from the CleanBC Better Homes and Home Renovation Rebate Program or other provincial or utility offers for the same upgrade.

Related rebates

Check out other available rebates for the Income Qualified Program at BetterHomesBC.ca/Income-Qualified

Eligibility requirements

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.

Please note: You may be eligible for one primary space heating system rebate per home, regardless of the number installed. For example, you cannot get a rebate for a furnace and a heat pump, even if you install a dual fuel ducted heat pump. Your second rebate application will be denied.

Income qualification requirements

Rebate coverage is based on the combined income of all adults in your home and how many people live in your home, including adults and children.

  • Combined incomes less than Income Level 1 are eligible for up to 95% of upgrade costs.
  • Combined incomes less than Income Level 2 are eligible for up to 60% of upgrade costs.
Number of people living in your home

(including adults and children)

Combined pre-tax annual income of all adults in your home (excluding dependants):

Income Level 1

Income Level 2

1

$42,593 $55,903

2

$53,026

$69,596

3 $65,189

$85,560

4 $79,147

$103,880

5 $89,768

$117,820

6 $101,242

$132,880

7 or more $112,718

$147,943

Requirements for the home

You must live in an eligible home:

  • The home must be a year-round primary residence that is at least 12 months old.
  • For participants registering in the CleanBC Income Qualified Program between December 5, 2023 – January 31, 2024, the property must have a total assessed value at or under $1,222,000 in the BC Assessment listing for the address of the applicant’s home in the year of program registration.
  • For participants registering in the CleanBC Income Qualified Program on or after February 1, 2024, the property must have a total assessed value at or under $1,230,000 in the BC Assessment listing for the address of the applicant’s home in the year of program registration.
  • The home must be primarily heated by one of the following:
    • natural gas, propane or oil.
    • electricity (hard-wired electric heating systems such as electric baseboards, radiant ceilings, radiant floors, forced-air furnace/boiler, or heat pump).
    • wood or other solid fuels.
  • You must have a residential utility account with FortisBC, BC Hydro, or a municipal utility.
  • The home must be one of the following types:
    • Single family home (detached dwelling)
    • Secondary suite in a single-family home (detached dwelling), with its own separate utility meter
    • Mobile home that is permanently fixed, sits on a foundation and is structurally complete with installed and connected plumbing, heating, electrical, water and sewer services; towing apparatus and axle must be removed
    • Duplex, triplex, row home or townhome, where each unit has its own natural gas and/or electricity meter; utility accounts must be in the name of the resident and/or homeowner.  Utility accounts in the name of a strata corporation are not eligible.
  • If you currently rent your home, you will need a landlord consent form to accompany your application.
  • Pay your own energy utility bills. Utility accounts must be in the name of the resident and/or homeowner; utility accounts in the name of a strata corporation or landlord are not eligible.
  • Homes in Non-Integrated Areas of the electricity grid must contact IncomeQualified@betterhomesbc.ca for pre-approval prior to installation.

Requirements for your contractor

New heat pumps must be installed:

Requirements for the upgrade

  • You must pre-register and receive an eligibility code before completing the upgrade.
  • The new heat pump must:
    • Replace the existing primary heating system.
    • Be sized to function as the primary heating system of the home.
    • Have a minimum capacity of 12,000 BTU (1 ton).
    • Serve a main living area (e.g. family room, living room, or open-concept kitchen-living room).
    • Have an AHRI certified reference number that references all components of the heat pump.
    • Be listed as a qualified system on the qualified product list.
    • Central ducted heat pumps must have a static pressure ≥0.6” WC

Requirements for the equipment being replaced

The old heating system must also meet requirements in order to be eligible for this rebate.  Select your existing system type to learn more.

Replacing an electric heating system
  • Your old electric system must be hard-wired (for example, baseboards or an electric furnace) and the back-up system must be electric.
  • Replacing an existing heat pump or adding a head to an existing heat pump is not eligible.
  • Emergency replacement of broken electric heating system is eligible.
Replacing a fossil fuel (oil, propane, or natural gas) heating system
  • The fossil fuel heating system must be removed.
  • Emergency replacement of broken fossil fuel heating systems are eligible.
Replacing a wood or solid fuel heating system
  • The existing wood or solid fuel heating system may be retained in safe and working order or removed in accordance with all applicable laws.
  • If you are keeping your wood or solid fuel heating system, you must submit a copy of an inspection report completed by a Wood Energy Technology Transfer Inc. (WETT)-certified professional.  The inspection report must be dated within the 12-month period before or 6-month period following the date of the heat pump installation invoice and include the inspector’s WETT certification number, the installation address of the wood or solid fuel heating system and whether the installation is compliant with relevant codes.
  • If you are removing your wood or solid fuel heating system, you will be asked to provide before and after photos of your wood or solid fuel heating system’s removal.

Deadlines

The application and supporting documentation must be submitted by the Income Qualified Program Registered Contractor within six (6) months of the invoice date.

How to apply

Before you begin

  1. Confirm eligibility by reviewing the Rebate Eligibility RequirementsParticipant Terms and Conditions, and Contractor Terms and Conditions.
  2. Complete the program’s pre-screen and pre-registration to determine your eligibility through the CleanBC Income Qualified Program participant portal. Once confirmed you will receive an eligibility code and opportunities report, outlining your suggested upgrades. You can also make an appointment with an income qualified program coach or schedule a virtual assessment for pre-registration assistance or support to identify the best upgrades for your home.
  3. Customer must choose an Income Qualified Program Registered Contractor to complete the upgrade.
  4. After completing the upgrade, contractor will submit the rebate application and deduct the rebate from the final cost of the upgrade.

I am...

Apply here

Ready to complete the pre-registration form to determine eligibility.Pre-registration form

Who to contact

Questions about the rebate?

Contact an Energy Coach to get clarification or help with understanding this rebate.

Questions about your application?

Program updates

October 01 2022 - Updated Requirements for Heat Pumps

As of October 01 2022, eligibility requirements for ductless mini-split, ductless multi-split, Tier 2 central ducted, and dual fuel ducted heat pumps have changed.

  • Heat pumps must meet new energy efficiency requirements:
    • SEER: >16.00
    • HSPF: >10.00
  • Ductless multi-split heat pumps must have at least two indoor heads installed

FAQs and more