Home Renovation Savings for electric heating.
For qualifying Ontario homes primarily heated with electricity, HRS currently offers $1,250 per ton for an eligible purchased cold-climate air-source heat pump, up to $7,500. The program uses the minimum rated heating capacity at 8.3°C (47°F) and requires the exact matched system to be on the current NRCan qualified-products list.
The homeowner must own the property and be connected to the Ontario electricity grid under the program rules. Cornwall Electric customers have a specific exclusion because that utility is connected to the Hydro-Québec grid unless the home is converting to or from Enbridge natural gas.
Check the Energy Affordability Program before buying retail equipment.
Income-qualified electrically heated households may qualify for approved upgrades through Save on Energy’s Energy Affordability Program. That is not a coupon to subtract from a retail quote. The program assesses eligibility and arranges approved work through its delivery route.
If EAP may apply, start there before purchasing equipment. A homeowner should not buy a system expecting the program to reimburse it later.
Existing electric backup may remain.
HRS allows electrically heated homes to keep existing electrical backup. The design still needs to show how the heat pump and backup heat work together. An electric furnace or resistance elements can create a large peak electrical load, so the panel and service need to be checked against the actual proposed equipment.
A 100 amp service does not automatically rule out a heat pump, but it also should not be approved from the panel label alone.
Operating-cost questions are different for electric homes.
A heat pump can deliver more heat per unit of electricity than electric resistance heating because it moves heat instead of creating all of it resistively. The actual savings depend on the heat pump’s seasonal performance, backup heat use, electricity rate plan and how much of the existing resistance load it displaces.
Ask for a design that minimizes unnecessary resistance backup without undersizing the heat pump or compromising comfort.
Ottawa homeowners can also examine financing.
Better Homes Ottawa can finance qualifying heat pumps and associated electrical work for eligible properties. The current loan is 4.33% fixed over 20 years with a 4% administrative charge, and an EnerGuide assessment is required.
If you may qualify for EAP, compare that no-cost assistance route before taking on repayable financing.