HeatPumpNews.ca reports the program changes, standards and deadlines that decide which heat pump jobs Canadian contractors win. Each story is built on a primary document we opened ourselves: a program guide, a government release, a utility's terms or a standards body's memo. The facts come first, then a section marked as analysis, written for owners who sell and install heat pumps. We are a marketing and consulting newsroom; we do not install or service equipment.
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New Brunswick's oil-to-heat-pump advance payments: the deadlines that remain
In New Brunswick, registration for oil-to-heat-pump advance payments closed on June 30, 2026, and the paperwork deadline passed on October 1. Enrolled households must finish their upgrades and final evaluation by March 31, 2027 or repay the advance. This explainer is current to October 23, 2026.
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Ontario heat pump rebates as of October 2026: what installers need to know
Ontario's Home Renovation Savings program pays up to $7,500 for a cold-climate air source heat pump and up to $12,000 for ground source in homes heated by electricity, oil, propane or wood, but only with pre-approval and a participating contractor. This explainer sets out the rules as of October 23, 2026.
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How NRCan decides which heat pumps count as cold-climate
Natural Resources Canada's page on how heat pumps are listed, last modified July 10, 2026, sets the filters behind its three searchable eligible-product lists. Cold-climate units need at least 70% capacity at -15 °C and a COP of 1.8 or more at that temperature.
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NEEP proposes Version 5.0 of its cold-climate heat pump specification
On July 7, 2026, the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships released a request for comment on Version 5.0 of its cold-climate air source heat pump specification. Canadian programs use the NEEP list, and a final version is planned for December 2026.
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Quebec adds a heat pump bonus for older rental multiplexes in energy-poverty zones
On May 20, 2026, Quebec and Hydro-Québec announced about $350 million to make heat pumps more affordable in multi-unit rentals. Hydro-Québec's LogisVert guide now adds $100 per 1,000 BTU/h at -8 °C for qualifying buildings, for installations from June 15, 2026.
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Yukon's Dependable Grid Program rebates dual-fuel heat pumps to cut winter peak demand
The Government of Yukon opened its Dependable Grid Program on April 15, 2026. Electrically heated homes that add a heat pump with a non-electric backup can get 50% of the cost up to $15,000, and new homes a flat $15,000.
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Hydro-Québec revises Solutions efficaces: ENERGY STAR mini-splits only, new multi-measure bonuses
Hydro-Québec changed its Solutions efficaces business program on March 31, 2026, introducing version 6.0 of its OSE tool. Air-to-air mini-split heat pumps must now be ENERGY STAR certified, and projects combining geothermal, heat recovery and envelope work earn a bonus.
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Two Efficiency Manitoba heat pump bonuses run to March 31, 2027
Efficiency Manitoba is offering a 100% bonus on its performance incentive for multi-unit residential buildings that install a ground source heat pump as primary heat, reported on March 9, 2026. Separately, registered suppliers earn $100 per residential air source application that includes an F280 heat-load calculation.
Current stories
The short answer: eight stories from 2026, ordered newest first, covering five provinces and territories plus two national standards items.
Explainers current to October 23, 2026
- Ontario heat pump rebates: what installers need to know: Home Renovation Savings amounts by fuel, pre-approval, the contractor list and the no-cost oil stream.
- New Brunswick's oil-to-heat-pump deadlines: registration closed June 30; enrolled homes must finish by March 31, 2027.
Programs and rebates
- Quebec's bonus for older rental multiplexes (May 20, 2026): about $350 million, and $220 per 1,000 BTU/h at -8 °C for qualifying cold-climate mini-splits.
- Yukon's Dependable Grid Program (April 15, 2026): up to $15,000 for heat pumps paired with non-electric backup heat.
- Hydro-Québec's Solutions efficaces changes (March 31, 2026): ENERGY STAR mini-splits only, and bonuses for geothermal combined with other measures.
- Two Manitoba heat pump bonuses (March 9, 2026): doubled ground source incentives for multi-unit buildings and $100 per F280 load calculation, both to March 31, 2027.
Cold-climate standards and product lists
- How NRCan decides which heat pumps count as cold-climate (July 10, 2026): HSPF2, SEER2, capacity and COP thresholds behind the federal lists.
- NEEP's Version 5.0 proposal (July 7, 2026): new routes to qualify and a final version planned for December 2026.
How we report
The short answer: primary sources only, real dates, and analysis kept separate.
- Source first. We open the program guide, release or memo itself. Secondary reports are used only to date an item, and we say when we do.
- Real dates. A story carries the date of its source. If the source has no date, we publish an explainer with today's date and say why.
- "As of" wording. Programs change, so every amount is tied to the date we checked it. Always confirm with the administrator before quoting a customer.
- No invented quotes or numbers. We name officials only where a release names them, and we do not reproduce their quotes.
- Labelled analysis. Our view on what a change means for an installer sits under its own heading.
Who this newsroom is for
Owners and managers of heat pump and HVAC installation companies, from a two-van shop to a multi-branch firm.
If you sell heat pumps, rebates and standards shape your pipeline. A program that closes can empty your calendar; a new bonus can fill it, if homeowners hear about it from you first. Our coverage pages explain how programs and buyers differ across all 13 provinces and territories.
Corrections and updates
Programs move after we publish, so stories are maintained, not frozen.
When a program we have reported changes its amounts, dates or rules, we update the affected story, change its "updated" date and note what changed. The original publication date stays the date of the source. If you see something that no longer matches the administrator's page, send us the link by call, text or email and we will check it against the source.
The marketing side
We publish this newsroom because we market heat pump installers, and we see every week how program changes move demand.
HeatPumpNews.ca is part of the Sedighi.ca and SAZ.ca group, led by Ali Sedighi, MBA, from Vancouver. We build program landing pages, heat pump SEO and campaigns for installers, and we are not a contractor. If a story here changes your plans, call, text or email us, or read about our services first.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the stories come from?
From program administrators, utilities, governments and standards bodies: Hydro-Québec, Efficiency Manitoba, Save Energy NB, Home Renovation Savings, the Government of Yukon, Natural Resources Canada and NEEP, among others. Each source is linked in the text and listed with the date we checked it.
Why do some stories say Article instead of news?
When the source page carries no publication date, we publish a dated explainer instead of a news story, and we say so at the top. That way the date you see is always honest.
Is your analysis compliance or engineering advice?
No. It covers business and marketing implications for contractors. Questions about licensing, codes or eligibility belong with the regulator or program administrator.
Can I send you a tip?
Yes. Call, text or email with a link to the official source. We only publish what we can check against a primary document.