Quick quiz: how rebate programs work
Seven questions that apply almost everywhere. Tap an answer to see why.
Short answer: Start with free habits (thermostat set-backs, cold-water laundry, blinds), then seal drafts for a few dollars. Penticton is on FortisBC, so the thermostat rebate (up to $150) is for central electric systems, and BC Hydro's Peak Saver doesn't apply.
Penticton is in the South Okanagan, with hot summers and fairly mild winters for the Interior. That shapes where your energy goes: heating in winter, and cooling in summer. Penticton runs its own electric utility. Penticton electric customers use FortisBC's rebate programs, not BC Hydro's.
Canada’s new heat pump rebate is worth up to $10,000. Get an email the day it opens
Applications are not open yet. Ottawa says they open in early 2027, and that you can add this rebate on top of provincial ones.
- Up to $10,000
- if your household earns below the median income
- $2,000
- for other homeowners who qualify
Stack it with the British Columbia rebate open today
Ottawa says you can combine them. Each program has its own rules. Amounts are the most you can get.
Applications open early 2027
Join the launch alert
- Launch-day email, with what to do first
- Who qualifies for the $10,000, once Ottawa says
- A short hello now, so you know it worked
Know someone with old heating? Send them this.
Only emails about this rebate. No spam, no sales calls. Unsubscribe anytime.
Read everything we know so far Official page: canada.ca
Free: do these this week
- Turn the heat down when you're asleep or out. Lower heat means less energy used.
- Use your blinds. Open south-facing ones on sunny winter days; close them at night.
- Wash in cold water and run full loads. Heating water is most of a washer's energy.
- Close doors and turn off baseboards in rooms you don't use.
- Clean or change filters on your furnace or heat pump so it doesn't work harder than it needs to.
Cheap: a few dollars each
- Weatherstripping around doors and windows.
- Foam gaskets behind outlet covers on outside walls.
- Pipe insulation on the first few feet of hot water pipe.
- LED bulbs in the lights you use most.
To find drafts, hold your hand near window and door frames on a windy day.
Thermostats and programs in Penticton
FortisBC gives up to $150 for a connected thermostat, but only if you have an electric central system (furnace, boiler or heat pump). FortisBC also runs a Power Hours program that rewards using less power at peak times. BC Hydro's Peak Saver and free thermostats are for BC Hydro customers only.
Bigger upgrades, when you're ready
- Insulation: FortisBC pays by area and R-value added, up to $900 for an attic and $1,200 for walls or basement.
- Heat pump: up to $4,000 from FortisBC if you replace electric heat.
- Heat pump water heater: $1,000 from FortisBC when replacing an electric tank.
- Income-qualified? ECAP gives a free home energy evaluation and free upgrades.
What's different in Penticton
- City of Penticton Home Energy Loan Program (HELP): up to $10,000 over 10 years, repaid on your city electric bill at prime plus 0.5%. It covers upgrades that match FortisBC's rebates (heat pumps, insulation, windows and doors, air sealing). The city says the program is being redesigned, so confirm the terms first.
- Penticton electric customers qualify for FortisBC's electric rebates, including the heat pump rebate.
My tip for Penticton: Penticton's own loan can cover the part rebates don't. Pair it with FortisBC's rebate and you may not need to pay much up front.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest way to cut my heating bill?
Turning the heat down at night and when you're out costs nothing. Sealing drafts costs a few dollars. After that, insulation usually gives the most back.
Do Ecobee or Nest thermostats get a BC Hydro rebate?
No. BC Hydro's free thermostats and Peak Saver thermostat rewards are for line-voltage baseboard thermostats like Mysa and Sinopé.
Who gives heat pump rebates in Penticton?
FortisBC. Penticton's city electric utility customers are eligible for FortisBC's heat pump rebate (up to $4,000, or up to $12,000 if income-qualified), not BC Hydro's.
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Compare top-rated Penticton installers →Sources, checked September 26, 2026: FortisBC connected thermostat rebate · FortisBC insulation rebates · FortisBC heat pump rebate · ECAP: free home energy evaluation and upgrades.
