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By Adam Campbell

HEATING REBATES

B.C. government increases heating rebates for cleaner heating options

Dec 13, 2023 | 4:27 PM

KAMLOOPS — The B.C. government plans on improving air quality this winter by encouraging cleaner heating options and incentivizing residents in the province to replace their wood stoves.

The provincial government, alongside the B.C. Lung Foundation, will provide $240,000 in rebates this winter through the Community Wood Smoke Reduction Program to ensure savings in a time of inflation.

Funding is set to replace about 470 wood stoves across the province to cleaner options, such as heat pumps or emission-certified wood stoves, as well as helping municipalities provide educational material to their residents.

In addition to the smoke reduction program, people in B.C. heating their homes with wood or fossil fuels can currently receive as much as $2,000 from CleanBC to switch to an electric heat pump, with lower income households receiving up to $5,000.

This year, First Nations communities could receive up to $3,000 back from heat pump upgrades, with rebates in other participating groups doubling to $2,000 since last year, based on their air-quality rating.

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When including federal rebates, British Columbians can save up to $7,000 on the purchase and installation of a cleaner heat pump, with lower income households saving as much as $10,000.

Since 2008, the Community Wood Smoke Reduction Program has provided more than $4 million in replacements for more than 10,300 stoves.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy George Heyman stated not only are residents saving money, but modern heating pumps are also more effective in colder weather.

“Burning wood is one of the largest air pollution sources affecting B.C. communities and switching to healthier, clean heat sources can save people money by heating homes more effectively,” said Heyman.

For more information on heat pump rebates, click here.