How much you actually get
The rebate isn't one flat number — it changes based on your current heat source. Here's the real breakdown:
On Enbridge gas, switching to air-source
Works out to $500 per ton, capped at $2,000.
On Enbridge gas, switching to ground-source
Flat amount, no tonnage math.
Electric, oil, propane, or wood heat, air-source
$1,250 per ton, capped at $7,500.
Electric, oil, propane, or wood heat, ground-source
$2,000 per ton, capped at $12,000.
The unit has to be on Natural Resources Canada's list of qualified cold-climate air-source or ground-source heat pumps. If your installer quotes you something not on that list, ask why — it won't qualify.
Your utility: Enova Power
Enova Power is the local electricity distributor for Kitchener, a different company from the utilities serving Toronto (Toronto Hydro), Vaughan or Hamilton (Alectra), or Ottawa (Hydro Ottawa). Worth knowing: the heat pump rebate amounts above come from the province-wide Home Renovation Savings Program, not from Enova Power directly, so which local utility bills you doesn't change what you qualify for. Where it does matter is afterward. Enova Power is who you'd contact about your electrical service capacity if your installer flags a panel upgrade, and who bills the extra electricity a heat pump uses once it's running. We haven't found an Enova Power-specific heat pump incentive layered on top of the provincial rebate; if that changes, we'll add it here rather than imply one exists.
Will it actually keep you warm here?
This is the question everyone in Waterloo Region asks, and it's a fair one. Over the last 10 winters (2015-2024), Kitchener's average January daily low has been -9.1°C, with a coldest recorded day of -31.3°C — real measured data, not a rounded estimate. Heat pumps used to lose a lot of their punch at that temperature, which is where the "heat pumps don't work in Canada" reputation came from. That's outdated. A cold-climate model built in the last few years (the kind required for the rebate above) keeps pulling heat efficiently down to around -25°C or colder, so it's built for weather colder than most of what Kitchener actually sees.
What you'll actually save each month
The rebate table above is a one-time payment. What you actually notice on your bill every month comes down to the rate you're charged for electricity and gas, so here's the real math instead of a rounded-off estimate.
- Electricity, OEB Regulated Price Plan (Nov 2025–Oct 2026): time-of-use customers pay 9.8¢/kWh off-peak, 15.7¢/kWh mid-peak, 20.3¢/kWh on-peak, averaging 12.8¢/kWh; tiered customers pay 12.0¢/kWh up to the monthly threshold, then 14.2¢/kWh. Enova Power delivers the electricity, but the Ontario Energy Board sets this price for the whole province, so it's the same number here as in Toronto or Windsor. (OEB price report →)
- Natural gas (Enbridge): Kitchener's delivery rate changes by zone and resets quarterly, so there's no single number honest enough to put on this page. (Check this quarter's Enbridge rate →)
A cold-climate heat pump — the kind Kitchener's -31.3°C record low actually calls for — earns its keep through its coefficient of performance: it moves roughly 2.5 to 3.5 units of heat into your home for every unit of electricity it draws, instead of converting power to heat one-for-one like baseboards. Whether that beats what you're currently paying Enbridge depends on this quarter's rate and your home's insulation, so there's no single "you'll save $X" figure that holds for every house in Waterloo Region.
Want your actual number? Our free assessment tool works from your current bill and system, not a regional average.
Installers in Kitchener
These are real HVAC companies based in Kitchener, pulled from their current Google reviews. We're not paid to list anyone here — check ratings and call around before you pick one.
See all Kitchener HVAC installers →
How to actually claim the rebate
- Fill out the eligibility form on the Save on Energy portal
- Pick one of the installers above (or any participating contractor)
- Get pre-installation approval before any work starts — this step is mandatory, and skipping it means you lose the rebate
- Get the heat pump installed
- Your contractor submits the post-installation paperwork
- Your rebate cheque shows up within about 60 days
Common questions
How much is the heat pump rebate in Kitchener?
It depends on what you're heating with now. Enbridge gas customers get up to $2,000 (air-source) or $3,000 (ground-source). Electric, oil, propane, or wood get up to $7,500 (air-source) or $12,000 (ground-source). Same program across Ontario; Kitchener just happens to have a good number of local installers who know the paperwork well.
Is a heat pump worth it in Kitchener's winters?
Yes, as long as you get a cold-climate model — which the rebate requires anyway. Kitchener-Waterloo winters regularly go below -15°C, but modern cold-climate units keep working well past -25°C.
How long does the rebate take?
You need pre-approval before installation, then the cheque usually arrives within 60 days of your installer submitting the post-installation form.
Can Kitchener homeowners get the RetrofitWR loan?
Not right now. The RetrofitWR loan is only for GrandBridge Energy customers in Cambridge and North Dumfries. Kitchener and Waterloo are served by Enova Power. You can still use the free Energy Coach.
Is the rebate the same in Waterloo and Cambridge?
Yes. The heat pump rebate is provincial, so it is the same across Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.
What to do next
- Get two or three quotes from local heating contractors. Ask each one to do a room-by-room heat loss calculation, not a guess based on square feet.
- Make sure the model is a cold-climate air source (or ground source) heat pump on Natural Resources Canada's qualified list. The rebate requires it.
- No home energy assessment is needed for the heat pump rebate. Your contractor installs it, then you apply on homerenovationsavings.ca with your invoice.
- Keep the invoice showing the model number and size in tons. The rebate is paid per ton, so the size matters.
- Book a free RetrofitWR Energy Coach if you want help planning the order of upgrades.
See your city's rebates → Compare top-rated local installers, ranked by Google reviews. Free for homeowners.
All Kitchener rebates → · Cambridge heat pump rebates → · Ontario heat pump tiers explained → · Heat pumps in Ontario winters →
Sources, checked September 26, 2026: Home Renovation Savings, HRS heat pump rebates, RetrofitWR.