Vancouver vs Toronto: PowerScore Rebate Comparison
Vancouver is in British Columbia and Toronto is in Ontario — two different regions with two different rebate systems, scored on one shared yardstick.
Best in class
Vancouver has the bigger open rebate for 5 of the 8 upgrades, and Toronto for 2, with 1 tied. Dollar amounts below are the most open programs pay, in US dollars (Canadian amounts converted at an approximate rate), so they can be compared across the border. Amounts are the most a program pays; the top figures are often for lower-income households.
Neither city is at the top of the country for any upgrade. The last column shows who is.
Where each city stands in the country
| Upgrade | Vancouver | Toronto | Best in the country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Pump | #41 (tied with 15 more) of 135 · $9,490 | #57 (tied with 26 more) of 135 · $8,760 | Whitehorse · $17,520 |
| Insulation | #46 (tied with 17 more) of 94 · $4,015 | #18 (tied with 24 more) of 94 · $5,621 | Chicago · $20,000 |
| Solar | #2 (tied with 15 more) of 68 · $7,300 | #19 (tied with 26 more) of 68 · $3,650 | Yellowknife · $14,600 |
| Battery Storage | #13 (tied with 40 more) of 68 · $3,650 | #13 (tied with 40 more) of 68 · $3,650 | Riverside · $10,000 |
| Water Heater | #8 (tied with 17 more) of 108 · $2,555 | #80 (tied with 24 more) of 108 · $365 | Brookhaven · $7,000 |
| Smart Thermostat | No open rebate | #36 (tied with 24 more) of 84 · $91 | Naperville · $275 |
| EV Charger | #51 of 52 · $256 | No open rebate | Bakersfield and 6 more · $5,000 |
| Windows & Doors | #8 of 78 · $4,015 | #35 (tied with 24 more) of 78 · $365 | Barre and 4 more · $9,500 |
Rank counts every city we score. See the national leaderboard.
Category-by-category PowerScore
| Category | Vancouver | Toronto |
|---|---|---|
| 🔥 Heat Pump | 75.6 | 72.8 |
| 🧊 Insulation | 64.1 | 73.7 |
| ☀️ Solar | 100.0 | 70.0 |
| 🔋 Battery Storage | 72.5 | 83.8 |
| 🚿 Water Heater | 100.0 | 48.6 |
| 🌡️ Smart Thermostat | 0.0 | 76.5 |
| 🚗 EV Charger | 43.1 | 3.8 |
| 🪵 Windows & Doors | 100.0 | 45.5 |
| Overall PowerScore | 69.4 | 59.3 |
Frequently asked questions
Which city has the better overall PowerScore, Vancouver or Toronto?
Vancouver has the higher overall PowerScore at 69.4/100, compared to Toronto's 59.3/100. PowerScore is a 0-100 average of 8 rebate categories built from real published rebate amounts, program status, and how many programs stack.
Which city has better solar rebates, Vancouver or Toronto?
Vancouver scores higher on solar, 100.0 vs 70.0 out of 100. Vancouver's strongest category overall is solar at 100.0, while Toronto's strongest is battery at 83.8.
Is it fair to compare Vancouver and Toronto directly?
Yes. Every city's PowerScore is measured against one shared yardstick in US dollars, so Vancouver (British Columbia) and Toronto (Ontario) are on the same scale. Canadian amounts are converted at an approximate rate, and programs have different rules, so treat scores within a few points of each other as a tie.