Tenants, landlords and condo owners: who can apply for a heat pump rebate
The Home Renovation Savings heat pump rebate goes to the owner of the home, and only for certain home types. Here is what the official rules say for tenants, landlords and condo owners.
Not everyone who lives in a home can apply for a heat pump rebate. Here is what the official rules say about who can.
The basic rule: the owner applies
Home Renovation Savings is brought to you by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy. For heat pumps, its rules say:
- You must own the home where the heat pump will be installed.
- Where an owner has tenants, the owner must apply.
- You must be the person who pays for the purchase and installation.
If you rent your home
The program's FAQ asks, "I'm a tenant. Can I participate?" The answer is no: you must own the home to take part.
If you rent and want a heat pump, the application has to come from your landlord, as the owner.
If you are a landlord
The rules put the application in your hands when you have tenants. The other rules still apply to the home itself:
- It must be a single detached, semi-detached, row house, townhome, or mobile home on a permanent foundation.
- New build homes do not qualify. That means homes occupied for six months or less.
- If the home is heated with natural gas, there must be an active Enbridge Gas residential account, and the home must be heated mainly by a natural gas furnace or boiler.
- Otherwise, the home must be connected to the Ontario electricity grid and heated with electricity, oil, propane or wood.
The eligibility rule is worded as "live in" one of those home types. The pages we read do not explain how that applies to an owner who does not live in the rented home. If that is your case, confirm with the program before you plan the work.
If you own a condo
The list of home types does not include apartments, and the program pages do not mention condominiums. A townhome or row house is on the list. If you are not sure how your home counts, ask the program or your participating contractor before you sign anything.
Renting a heat pump is something else
"Renting" can also mean renting the equipment, not the home. The program has a separate section for this, called "Looking to rent a heat pump?":
- It is open to homes heated with electricity, natural gas, oil, propane or wood.
- A rented cold climate air source heat pump gets $500 per ton, up to $2,000.
- A rented ground source heat pump gets $3,000.
Whoever applies, the same order applies: pre-approval is mandatory, and installations done before approval are not eligible.
What about the federal rebate?
The federal National Heat Pump Rebate is a separate program. Its page lists a grant of $2,000, or up to $10,000 for low- to median-income households. It says the eligibility criteria and how to apply will be available as of November 1, 2026, and that the program launches early in 2027. Until then, it does not say whether tenants, landlords or condo owners can apply.
For the full steps, see Home Renovation Savings, explained.
If you own your home and want to know where you stand, our free rebate check takes a few minutes, and we file the application for you.
This post is based on this article.