5 mistakes that can cost you your heat pump rebate
A few rules in the official Home Renovation Savings terms decide whether a heat pump gets the rebate. Here are five of them, in plain words, so you can check your plans before anything is installed.
Home Renovation Savings, run by Enbridge Gas and the IESO, is the heat pump rebate open in Ontario now. Its rules are clear, but a few of them are easy to miss. Each one below comes from the program's own pages and requirements.
1. Installing before pre-approval
Pre-approval is mandatory. The program says installations done before approval are not eligible for rebates. Its rules say you and your contractor must receive written approval of the pre-installation application before the heat pump is installed.
A heat pump that goes in first, even by a few days, does not get the rebate.
2. Hiring a contractor who is not on the list
You must work with a participating contractor. The contractor must be registered and listed before the installation. You get the list by filling in the program's short form.
If the installer you like is not listed yet, they need to be on the list before work starts.
3. Choosing a model that does not qualify
The heat pump must be an active model on Natural Resources Canada's qualified products list, as either a cold climate air source or a ground source heat pump. Ask your contractor to show you the model on that list before you sign.
4. Replacing a heat pump, or only part of one
The rebate is for a first-time heat pump installation. If your home already has a heat pump for space heating, you are not eligible. Heat pump replacements are not eligible either.
For mini-split and multi-split systems, both the indoor and outdoor units must be installed. Replacing only one part, or adding a new indoor unit, does not qualify.
5. Missing the 30-day deadline after installation
Within 30 days of installation, your contractor must submit the post-installation application. The contractor submits the documents for you, so it is worth confirming with them that it has been sent. Once that application is approved, the cheque should arrive by mail within 60 days.
Two more things to check
- You must own the home. Where an owner has tenants, the owner must apply. A tenant cannot.
- New builds do not qualify if they have been occupied for six months or less.
A note on the federal rebate
The National Heat Pump Rebate, announced on October 8, 2026, is a separate program. Its official page calls it upcoming. Its launch date, eligibility and how to apply have not been published yet. The mistakes above are about Home Renovation Savings only.
For the full steps, see Home Renovation Savings, explained.
If you want a second pair of eyes, our free rebate check takes a few minutes, and we file the Home Renovation Savings application for you, starting with pre-approval.
This post is based on this article.