CleanBC Heat Pump Rebates in Victoria, BC (2026): What You Can Actually Claim

CleanBC heat pump rebates are real, but what you can claim in Victoria depends mostly on how your home is heated today. If you heat with electricity, the standard rebate is up to $4,000. If you heat with oil, gas or propane, there is no standard rebate in Victoria, but income-qualified households can get up to $16,500 through the CleanBC Energy Savings Program. The federal grants that used to stack on top are closed. This guide explains what each program offers, who qualifies, and how to apply.

Rebate Programs Available to Victoria Homeowners

Here is what is open to Greater Victoria homeowners as of October 2026. Each program has its own eligibility rules and application process.

What Stacks and What Does Not

• CleanBC and BC Hydro are the same rebate. The $4,000 / $1,500 heat pump rebate is run as a partnership between the Province, BC Hydro and FortisBC. You get it once, not twice.
• The BC Hydro bonus stacks with the standard rebate for installs completed, invoiced and paid between August 1 and October 31, 2026 (up to $1,000 extra, first come, first served).
• Standard program add-ons: a $300 Two Upgrade Bonus (two bonus-eligible upgrades within 18 months) and a Home Energy Improvement Bonus of $20 per percentage point of improvement (minimum $750, maximum $2,000), which needs three upgrades plus a post-upgrade EnerGuide evaluation within 18 months.
• The Energy Savings Program is not a top-up. It is a separate, larger program for income-qualified households.
• Federal grants are closed. The Canada Greener Homes Grant and the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program are closed to new applicants.
• Local financing (not a rebate): Saanich and Central Saanich each offer up to $12,000 in 0% financing for oil, gas or propane homes, repaid over 10 years on your property tax bill.

Who Qualifies for the Standard CleanBC Heat Pump Rebate

The standard rebate is for homes currently heated with electricity. Key requirements include:

• The heat pump must replace a primary all-electric heating system, such as electric baseboards or a forced-air electric furnace
• Whole home ($4,000): the system must meet 100% of your heating needs at -5 C without electric resistance heat; homes over 1,200 sq ft need a multi-split or central system
• Partial home ($1,500): the system must meet at least 50% of whole-home heating needs and serve an open, finished living space such as a living room or kitchen
• The equipment must be a variable-speed heat pump on the program's eligible product list
• The installer must be a licensed contractor with a GST number and a valid B.C. business licence, and a member of the Home Performance Contractor Network
• Current amounts apply to invoices dated on or after May 15, 2026; apply within 6 months of your invoice date

Homes heated by natural gas, oil or propane do not qualify for the standard rebate in Victoria. If your household income is under the Energy Savings Program limits, that program is where the larger amounts are.

Step-by-Step: How to Claim Your Rebates

Here is the sequence. We help you apply at each step:

1. Book a free estimate - we look at your current heating fuel and system and confirm which program fits.
2. Pre-register if income-qualified - the Energy Savings Program requires you to pre-register and get an eligibility code before any work starts. The code is valid for upgrades completed within 3 months.
3. Complete installation - your contractor pulls the electrical permit through Technical Safety BC (plus a gas permit if a gas furnace is removed).
4. Collect documentation - invoice, proof of payment, equipment model and serial number.
5. Submit the application - within 6 months of the invoice date. For the Energy Savings Program, the registered contractor submits it. For the BC Hydro bonus, apply by November 30, 2026.
6. Receive payment - the standard rebate is paid by BC Hydro or FortisBC. Under the Energy Savings Program, the contractor gets the rebate and you pay the rest.

CleanBC Energy Savings Program (Income-Qualified)

The Energy Savings Program pays the largest amounts, but only to households under its income limits. For example, Level 1 is for households of one earning up to $51,100 or four earning up to $94,900; Level 3 goes up to $102,100 for one person and $189,800 for four, but only for homes switching from oil, gas or propane. Amounts for invoices dated on or after July 6, 2026:

• Oil or gas to a central ducted heat pump or 3-head multi-split: $13,000 / $7,000 / $3,500 (Levels 1 / 2 / 3)
• Oil or gas to a combined space and water heat pump: $16,500 / $11,500 / $7,000
• Electrically heated homes: Level 1 only, up to $5,000 ($8,500 for a combined system)
• Electrical service upgrade for oil, gas or propane conversions: $5,000 / $3,500 / $1,500

For full income limits and every amount, see our guide to the CleanBC Energy Savings Program in 2026. If your home is electrically heated, also see the BC Hydro heat pump bonus and its October 31 deadline.

Common Mistakes That Cost Homeowners Rebate Money

• Starting work before pre-registering for the Energy Savings Program (no eligibility code, no rebate)
• Assuming an oil or gas home gets the standard rebate - in Victoria it does not
• Using a contractor who is not in the Home Performance Contractor Network (standard program) or a registered contractor (Energy Savings Program)
• Installing equipment that does not appear on the eligible product list
• Missing the 6-month submission deadline after your invoice date
• Missing the BC Hydro bonus window (install, invoice and pay by October 31, 2026)

How Much Will You Actually Save?

A typical ductless heat pump installation in Victoria runs $5,000-$9,000. In an electrically heated home, the standard rebate ($4,000 whole home or $1,500 partial home) brings that to roughly $1,000-$7,500 out of pocket, and installs completed and paid by October 31, 2026 may add a BC Hydro bonus of up to $1,000. In an oil or gas home, there is no standard rebate, so you pay the full price unless you are income-qualified; a Level 1 household switching from oil or gas to a central heat pump can get up to $13,000, plus up to $5,000 for an electrical service upgrade.

For context on what systems cost before rebates, see our guide: Heat Pump Cost in Victoria, BC. And for help choosing the right equipment to maximize rebate eligibility, see: Best Heat Pump Brands for Victoria, BC Homes.

Sources

• CleanBC Better Homes - Home Renovation Rebate Program
• CleanBC Better Homes - Home Renovation Rebate Program requirements
• CleanBC Better Homes - Energy Savings Program
• CleanBC Better Homes - Energy Savings Program requirements
• BC Hydro - Heat pump rebates and limited-time bonus
• Natural Resources Canada - Canada Greener Homes Grant (closed)
• Natural Resources Canada - Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program
• Technical Safety BC - Heat pump permits
• District of Saanich - Heat pump financing
• District of Central Saanich - Heat pump financing

Related guides

• Combined Space and Water Heat Pump Rebate BC: The $16,500 Top Tier Explained
• How to Pay for a Heat Pump in BC: Rebates, Financing and Payback
• Heat pump rebate checker for BC (free, no email)