Ontario Construction News staff writer
Canada’s heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry has welcomed a $2-billion federal investment in home retrofits, including rebates to help households switch to heat pumps.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the funding Oct. 8 at Innovair Solutions’ facility in Sherbrooke, Que. The eight-year initiative aims to support one million home retrofits across Canada through energy-efficiency upgrades and heating improvements.
The National Heat Pump Rebate program, scheduled to launch in January 2027, is expected to help up to 820,000 households make the switch to heat pumps.
Proposed rebates include up to $10,000 for low-income households and $2,000 for other eligible households. The program is designed to simplify applications by eliminating the requirement for a prior energy audit.
The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI), which represents about 1,200 member companies, said it has worked with federal officials to help shape the program.
“Our industry group has worked closely with Environment and Climate Change Canada to help shape a program that, above all, delivers real value for consumers while being practical and workable for the businesses and skilled tradespeople responsible for delivering it,” said Martin Luymes, HRAI’s vice-president of government and stakeholder relations.
HRAI said it welcomed the federal government’s engagement with industry and the recognition that implementing the program will require collaboration between government, contractors and other industry partners.
Federal consultations with industry are expected to begin following the announcement, with the aim of ensuring HVAC installers can help eligible homeowners understand and access the rebates.
The federal government also plans to work with technical colleges and industry associations on training and certification to support the workforce needed to install heat pumps.
The program is intended to make home heating and cooling more affordable while improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from residential buildings.
HRAI said it looks forward to continuing to work with the federal government as the program is developed and implemented.
