Ontario Heat Pump Rebates in 2026: What's Actually Still Available

If you've been thinking about a heat pump but assumed the rebate window closed—you're not alone. There's been a lot of confusion since the federal Canada Greener Homes Grant stopped accepting new applicants back in January.

The good news? Significant rebates are still available for homeowners in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph. Let's cut through the noise and lay out exactly what you can claim right now.

What's Gone: The Federal Programs

Let's get this out of the way first:

Canada Greener Homes Grant — Closed to new applicants as of January 20, 2026.
Canada Greener Homes Loan — Closed since October 2025.

If you already applied before the deadlines, your application is still being processed. But for new projects, these federal dollars are off the table.

What's Still Available: Enbridge Home Renovation Savings Program

This is the big one. If your home is heated by natural gas through Enbridge (which covers most of the Waterloo Region), the Home Renovation Savings Program (HRSP) is still open and offering serious incentives:

Up to $7,500 for a cold-climate air-source heat pump
Up to $12,000 for a ground-source (geothermal) heat pump
Up to $2,000 for a hybrid heating system upgrade
Additional rebates for insulation, windows, and smart thermostats when bundled with a heat pump install

The process is straightforward—an energy audit before and after the upgrade, and Enbridge issues the rebate directly.

Pro tip: Spring is the best time to book your pre-retrofit energy audit. Wait until June and you'll be competing with every homeowner who just got their first cooling bill.

The Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program

Heating your home with oil? The federal Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program is still running and offers up to $10,000 for qualifying low-to-median income households switching from oil to an electric heat pump. While oil heat is less common in the KW area, if this applies to you—it's one of the most generous incentives available anywhere in Canada.

Why 2026 Is Actually a Great Year to Switch

Beyond the rebates, a few things are working in homeowners' favour this spring:

New refrigerant standards are here. As of January 2026, all new heat pumps and air conditioners in Canada use R-454B refrigerant instead of the old R-410A. R-454B has a 78% lower global warming potential—and the new equipment designed around it tends to be even more efficient.
Equipment costs are stabilizing. After a few years of supply chain disruption, pricing on cold-climate heat pump models has levelled off. Manufacturers have caught up, and lead times are back to normal.
Electricity rates remain competitive. With natural gas prices trending upward, the operating cost gap between a high-efficiency heat pump and a gas furnace continues to narrow—especially for homes that already have central air conditioning being replaced.

How to Stack Your Savings

Here's the approach we usually recommend to maximize value:

Book a pre-retrofit energy audit through Enbridge's HRSP. This qualifies you for the full rebate tier.
Get a quote on a cold-climate or hybrid heat pump. We'll walk you through which type makes sense for your home—ductwork, no ductwork, boiler system, whatever the setup.
Complete the install and post-retrofit audit. Enbridge processes the rebate after verification.
Claim the federal Home Accessibility Tax Credit or Canada Carbon Rebate if applicable to your household.

With the right combination, many homeowners in Waterloo Region are seeing $5,000–$10,000 come back on a system that also lowers their monthly energy bills.

Don't Wait on This One

Rebate programs have a habit of closing earlier than expected when budgets run out—we saw it happen with the Greener Homes Grant. If a heat pump is on your radar for this year, the smartest move is to get the process started now while the HRSP funding is still flowing.

We're happy to walk you through your options—no pressure, just honest advice on what makes sense for your home.

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