What each program pays for ventilation
Each card names the program page we read. Only the CleanBC Energy Savings Program pays toward an HRV or ERV.
CleanBC Energy Savings Program: HRV or ERV
Income Level 1 gets 95% of the cost, Level 2 gets 60%, both capped at $1,600. Only with a heat pump or heat pump water heater upgrade. Level 3 gets nothing.
CleanBC: bathroom fan
Same income levels and percentages. One ventilation rebate per home, so it is the fan or the HRV, not both.
BC Hydro Home Renovation Rebate
The program pays for windows and doors, heat pumps, insulation and heat pump water heaters. There is no HRV, ERV or fan measure.
FortisBC, income-qualified fans
For ducted ENERGY STAR bathroom fan systems, not an HRV, with an insulation, window or door upgrade. FortisBC and City of Penticton electricity customers only.
A worked example
Say an HRV install costs $2,000 and goes in with a heat pump. A Level 1 household would get 95%, which is $1,900, so the $1,600 cap applies. A Level 2 household would get 60%, which is $1,200. A Level 3 household, or anyone not income-qualified, would get $0. This is our arithmetic, not a quote.
What an HRV or ERV does
A heat recovery ventilator pulls stale air out of the house and brings fresh air in, and passes heat from the outgoing air to the incoming air on the way. An energy recovery ventilator does the same and also moves some moisture. People usually add one after sealing up a leaky house, when the home no longer gets fresh air through gaps. Our HRV guide explains how they work and what to ask an installer.
Who can get the CleanBC ventilation rebate
The rebate is an add-on inside the CleanBC Energy Savings Program, which is for lower and middle income households. Your level depends on household size, the combined pre-tax income of the adults in the home, and your property's assessed value. For example, a household of four can earn up to $94,900 for Level 1 and up to $118,600 for Level 2. Only Levels 1 and 2 get a ventilation rebate.
The rebate table says you must be completing a heat pump or heat pump water heater upgrade at the same time. The general rules on the same page also mention insulation and windows, but the program has no insulation or window rebates in 2026, so in practice it goes with a heat pump or heat pump water heater. Rebates are not paid for ventilation on its own.
Rules the HRV must meet
The unit must be ENERGY STAR certified and on Natural Resources Canada's product list. It must be installed following the BC Housing heat recovery ventilation guide for houses, by a licensed heating and ventilation contractor who is registered with the program. Self-installs are not eligible. If your existing HRV breaks, an emergency replacement can qualify, as long as the rest of the rules are met. You get one ventilation rebate per home.
The program works differently from most rebates. You pre-register online and get a code, which lasts three months. The contractor takes the rebate off your invoice and claims it, and you pay the rest.
The heat pump that unlocks it
Because the HRV rebate rides on a heat pump or heat pump water heater, the bigger number is usually the heat pump itself. Through the same program, a Level 1 home heated by electricity can get up to $5,000 for a heat pump, and homes switching from gas, oil or propane can get much more. See our BC heat pump page for the full table and your city's heat pump page for local details.
Kelowna and Penticton
CleanBC's program accepts electricity accounts with BC Hydro, FortisBC or a municipal utility, so homes in Kelowna and Penticton can use it the same way. FortisBC also runs its own income-qualified ventilation rebate, up to $1,200 per bathroom fan system and $2,400 per home. It covers ducted fans, not HRVs, it needs an insulation, window or door upgrade, and it cannot be combined with other provincial or federal rebate programs.
If you do not qualify by income
There is no BC rebate for an HRV for you right now, from BC Hydro, FortisBC or CleanBC. If you plan to seal and insulate your home, the insulation rebate is real money, and the HRV is a cost to plan for alongside it. Our city insulation pages, such as Vancouver and Kamloops, show what BC Hydro and FortisBC pay.
How to claim the CleanBC ventilation rebate
- Check the income table on the CleanBC Energy Savings Program page for your household size.
- Pre-register in the program's portal and get your code. It is valid for three months.
- Get quotes from contractors registered with the program for both the heat pump (or heat pump water heater) and the HRV.
- Make sure the HRV is ENERGY STAR certified and on NRCan's list, and that a licensed HVAC contractor installs it.
- The contractor takes the rebate off your invoice and applies for it within six months.
More for British Columbia homes
- British Columbia home rebates: every program in one place
- CleanBC rebates: the income-qualified program in full
- BC heat pump rebates: the upgrade the HRV rebate depends on
- How HRVs work: cores, sizing and running costs
- FortisBC rebates: everything FortisBC pays for
Common questions
Does BC Hydro give a rebate for an HRV?
No. BC Hydro's Home Renovation Rebate Program covers windows and doors, heat pumps, insulation and heat pump water heaters only.
Can I get the CleanBC ventilation rebate without a heat pump?
No. The rebate table says the household must be doing a heat pump or heat pump water heater upgrade too. Ventilation alone is not paid.
My HRV stopped working. Is a replacement covered?
It can be. CleanBC lists emergency replacement of a broken HRV or ERV as eligible, but only for Level 1 and 2 households who are also doing a heat pump or heat pump water heater upgrade.
Is an ERV treated the same as an HRV?
Yes. The program uses the same rules and the same $1,600 cap for heat and energy recovery ventilators.
Can I install the HRV myself?
No. A licensed HVAC contractor registered with the program must supply and install it.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 11, 2026: CleanBC Energy Savings Program requirements, CleanBC Energy Savings Program, BC Hydro: Rebates for home renovations, FortisBC ventilation rebate, income qualified.