This is where the new program is much broader than what came before. The oil program covered one fuel and was delivered directly in only some provinces. The National Heat Pump Rebate covers households across the country, and it supports the replacement of systems that run on natural gas, propane, oil, diesel or electricity. An existing heat pump that has reached the end of its life can be replaced through the program as well.
On the equipment side, the wording is narrower than the headlines suggest. The federal backgrounder describes the rebate as being for homeowners "installing eligible electric cold climate air source heat pumps." It does not mention ground-source systems, and it would be a mistake to assume they are included until the program rules say so.
If you are new to the technology and wondering how a cold climate model behaves in January, our guide on what to expect from a heat pump in a Canadian winter covers comfort, capacity and backup heat.
Then there is the savings number, which deserves a careful read. Ottawa says the average household will save more than $1,400 a year, and that figure has travelled widely. In the government's own documents, however, it is limited to homes that currently heat with oil, propane or electric resistance, meaning electric furnaces and baseboards. No estimate has been published for a household moving from a natural gas furnace, which is the system many Canadian homes rely on. A gas-heated home can still apply for the rebate, but its owners should not carry the $1,400 figure into their own budgeting. It is an attributed program estimate for particular fuels, and what any one home saves will depend on its local energy prices, its insulation and the system it is replacing.
