Ontario heat pump rebates · Free heat pumps · Checked November 3, 2026
Free Heat Pumps in Ontario: The Energy Affordability Program
Is there a free heat pump program in Ontario?
Yes. Save on Energy's Energy Affordability Program installs a cold-climate air-source heat pump at no cost, from the assessment to the installation, for income-eligible households whose home is heated by electricity or oil. A household of four qualifies with a before-tax income of $96,439 or less, or by having received support such as the Ontario Electricity Support Program, Ontario Works or ODSP in the past 12 months. Its heat pumps are only for homes heated by electricity or oil, so a home heated by natural gas does not get one.
Who qualifies for a free heat pump in Ontario?
A household qualifies on income or on benefits, and the home must be heated by electricity or oil. You must also be the primary or secondary holder of the electricity account, and the home must be on Ontario's grid: Cornwall Electric customers are not eligible.
By income, your household's before-tax income for the previous year must be at or below the limit for the number of people in the home:
| People in the home | Household income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 | $48,220 |
| 2 | $68,193 |
| 3 | $83,518 |
| 4 | $96,439 |
| 5 | $107,823 |
| 6 | $118,113 |
| 7 or more | $127,576 |
Or by benefits, if you received assistance from one of these in the past 12 months:
- Allowance for Seniors
- Allowance for the Survivor
- Guaranteed Income Supplement
- Healthy Smiles Ontario Child Dental Program
- Enbridge Gas's Home Winterproofing Program
- Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
- Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)
- Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP)
- Ontario Works
Residents of eligible social housing and on-reserve community members also qualify. In an electrically heated home, owners and renters can apply. In an oil-heated home, only owners with an above-ground oil tank can, and Save on Energy describes that offer as available for a limited time.
Qualifying is not a guarantee of a heat pump. The program installs them in single-family homes, and the in-home assessment and your current heating system decide what the home gets.
What does the free heat pump include?
The whole job, at no cost. Save on Energy lists:
- A cold-climate air-source heat pump, ducted or ductless, with the backup heat it needs built into the system
- The installation, at no cost
- A 10-year parts and labour warranty
- Follow-up visits at one and two years to check the system, clean the filter and show you how to use it
- Removal of the above-ground oil tank, or of heating equipment the home no longer needs
Before the heat pump, the program can add additional attic or basement insulation, draft proofing and programmable or smart thermostats, so the home holds the heat. Depending on what the home already has, any eligible home can also get lED light bulbs, energy-efficient fridge, freezer, dehumidifier or window air conditioner, and a clothes drying rack and a smart power strip. You can accept or turn down each upgrade offered.
Save on Energy says switching from an electric furnace or baseboards to a cold-climate heat pump could save up to 50% on the heating portion of electricity bills, and switching from oil up to 50% on home heating costs.
How do you apply for the Energy Affordability Program?
By phone at 1-844-770-3148 or with the online form. You apply to the program, not to a contractor.
- Apply. After the online form, a delivery agent contacts you within 3 business days.
- Have the in-home assessment. An energy expert checks the documents you use to show you qualify, has you sign a participant agreement, and looks at the home's heating, insulation and appliances.
- Get the results. The program tells you by letter or email which upgrades the home qualifies for.
- Book the work. The delivery agent arranges a date that suits you.
- Follow-up visits. A heat pump gets check-ups at one and two years.
Which delivery agent you deal with depends on your postal code:
| Postal code starts with | Delivery agent |
|---|---|
| K | EnviroCentre |
| L, M or P | CLEAResult |
| N | The Home Inspectors Group |
Save on Energy says it does not endorse door-to-door sales, that only its authorized delivery agents deliver the program, and that they never show up unannounced. Someone who arrives unannounced offering a free heat pump is not one of them; the heat pump scam guide covers what to do.
What if your home is heated with natural gas?
The Energy Affordability Program's heat pumps are only for homes heated by electricity or oil. For a gas-heated home, the closest options are:
- Enbridge Gas's Home Winterproofing Program: free insulation and draft proofing for income-qualified homes. Save on Energy says Enbridge customers who qualify for its program may also qualify for this one.
- Home Renovation Savings: $500 per ton, up to $2,000, toward a cold-climate heat pump in an Enbridge gas home. It is a rebate, so you pay the contractor first.
- The federal National Heat Pump Rebate: up to $10,000 for a household at or below its income limit, and gas-heated homes qualify. It opens in early 2027 and covers installs from November 1, 2026.
What if your income is above the limit?
You can still get help, but not a free heat pump. Households under a higher income limit can get a free Energy Saving Kit of items to install yourself, such as LED bulbs, weather-stripping and a showerhead; it does not include a heat pump.
For the heat pump itself, Home Renovation Savings pays $1,250 per ton, up to $7,500, in a home heated by electricity, oil, propane or wood. The federal rebate uses a different, after-tax test: in Ontario a household of four qualifies for up to $10,000 with an after-tax income of $146,217 or less, and everyone else who qualifies gets $2,000. The Ontario rebate guide compares every option.
Can you combine the free heat pump with other rebates?
Not with Home Renovation Savings for the same heat pump, because that program does not pay for an upgrade another Save on Energy program has paid for. On the federal side, Save on Energy says its oil-home offer is paid for with funding from Natural Resources Canada's Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program, which has closed to new federal applications. The federal rebate is not available at an address where federal funding has already paid for a heat pump.
Official program pages
Checked against Save on Energy's pages on November 3, 2026. Program rules can change, so confirm with the program before you rely on them.