Published June 30, 2026 · a 4-minute read. The short answer: if you want the current, higher rebate, you need a signed quote submitted by Friday, July 5 and the job installed by July 31. We can help you get there — but the clock is real.
The short version
- CleanBC income-qualified rebate amounts are being reduced on July 6, 2026, across all three income levels (ESP 1, 2 and 3).
- Electric-to-heat-pump rebates are discontinued for ESP 2 and ESP 3 (still $5,000 for ESP 1).
- There's a grace period: install between July 6 and July 31 at the current amount — but only if your contractor submits a signed quote by July 5.
- If you've been considering a heat pump, this is the week to start the conversation.
What's changing
The CleanBC Better Homes Energy Savings Program (ESP) is the income-qualified stream that delivers the largest rebate amounts to lower- and middle-income BC households switching to a heat pump. As of July 6, 2026, those amounts drop across all three income tiers, and the electric-conversion path narrows sharply.
The standard CleanBC Better Homes rebate ($4,000 for electric baseboard or electric-furnace conversions, no income qualification) is not affected and stays in place.
The new rebate amounts (effective July 6, 2026)
For a central ducted heat pump — the most common retrofit when you're replacing a furnace — the new income-qualified amounts are:
| Converting from | ESP 1 | ESP 2 | ESP 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas, propane or oil → ducted heat pump | $13,000 | $7,000 | $3,500 |
| Fossil fuel → heat pump + heat-pump water heater (combined) | $16,500 | $11,500 | $7,000 |
| Electric baseboard or electric furnace → heat pump | $5,000 | Discontinued | Discontinued |
Smaller systems (single-head or two-head ductless) qualify for proportionally smaller amounts. Income tiers (ESP 1/2/3) are set by household size and income. We confirm the exact program, tier and amount for your home at the assessment — the program administrators make the final eligibility call.
For context: an ESP 1 household converting from gas to a ducted heat pump could previously reach up to $16,000 on the heat pump alone. The new ceiling on that line is $13,000 — still real money, but $3,000 lower, and the ESP 2 and ESP 3 cuts are steeper.
The grace period — and why this week matters
CleanBC built in a grace period for people already in motion. If your installation is completed between July 6 and July 31, 2026, you can still receive the current (higher) amount — but your contractor must submit a signed quote to the program on or before July 5, 2026. Quotes submitted July 6 or later are processed at the new, reduced amounts.
That qualifying quote needs to include:
- Your CleanBC eligibility code
- The complete scope of the upgrade
- The total cost and the rebate amount
- Your signature
- A scheduled installation date
In plain terms: even if you haven't applied to CleanBC yet, we may still be able to help you get an eligibility code and a qualifying quote submitted in time — but only if there's room this week to do the assessment and the paperwork properly.
What to do right now
Already have a CleanBC eligibility code?
Call us this week. We'll prepare and submit your signed quote before July 5 so the grace period protects you, then schedule your install any time before July 31.
Considering a heat pump but haven't started?
If your income qualifies you for ESP, the timeline is tight but doable. Book a free assessment immediately — we'll walk you through the CleanBC application and aim to get a qualifying quote in before the deadline.
Heating with electric baseboards or an electric furnace?
The standard $4,000 CleanBC rebate is unchanged, so there's no deadline pressure on that path. If you're ESP 1, the $5,000 amount also stays after July 6 (ESP 2 and 3 electric conversions are ending).
Heating with oil?
The new amounts still represent meaningful funding, and oil-heated homes usually have the strongest case for switching. We'll lay out the full picture, including any federal oil-to-heat-pump support, at the assessment.
How the rebates can stack
The headline ESP numbers above aren't always the whole picture — several programs can layer on top of each other, depending on your home, your heating source and your income:
- CleanBC standard rebate — up to $4,000. For switching from electric baseboards or an electric furnace to a heat pump. No income test, and it is not affected by the July 6 change.
- Electrical service-upgrade rebate — up to $5,000 (income-qualified). If converting off gas, propane or oil means upgrading your electrical panel or service, this stacks on top of the heat pump rebate. This is the adder that lifts an ESP 1 conversion toward roughly $18,000 total.
- BC Hydro top-ups. Additional incentives that can layer onto the main rebates in many cases.
The honest caveat: these are ceilings, not guarantees. The electrical adder only applies if you genuinely need a service upgrade, not every rebate combines, and most programs require an installer registered with the Home Performance Contractor Network — which we are. We will map out exactly which rebates your home can stack, and the real total, at your free assessment.
If you miss the deadline
The new amounts are still real money, and a heat pump is still the best long-term move for most island homes — lower bills, summer cooling, and a quieter, more comfortable house. Other rebate paths also continue, including the standard $4,000 CleanBC rebate for electric conversions and various BC Hydro top-ups. We'll always build your quote around the maximum you actually qualify for.
The Purple Turtle difference
We design every system around the largest rebate your home qualifies for, and we handle the CleanBC and BC Hydro paperwork with you so nothing falls through the cracks. Free in-home assessments, honest advice, and a Red Seal island team — from Greater Victoria through the Cowichan Valley to Nanaimo and Parksville.