Homeowner Rebates
Now is a great time to make upgrades to your home - but before you do, we recommend understanding the rebates and grants available to homeowners that could help cover some of the costs. Don’t start demolishing anything until you’ve understood what’s covered and the fine print, which we’ve summarized in one place for you here.
ACCESSIBLE SUITES AND SENIORS RENOVATIONS
There are mutiple home improvement assistance programs available for seniors - whether you yourself are over 65 and want to remain independent in your home by adding grab bars, or you intend to renovate a suite in your home for an ageing family member.
BC Rebate for Accessible Home Adaptations (BC RAHA)
Important facts:
This program will close March 31, 2024 or sooner if exhausted, so don’t wait
Almost any type of property is eligible to appy (single household, townhouse, monbile home, rentals…) besides government subsidized housing
There are different requirements for homeowners vs landlord/tenants
The maximum lifetime rebate from RAHA is $20,000 per household. If you formerly received funding through the HAFI program prior ti April 2019, that does not apply.
Payment through the RAHA program is received via a rebate cheque after renovations/adaptations are complete. Payment should take as little as 3 weeks.
Home Renovation Tax Credit for Seniors
The Home renovation tax credit for seniors and persons with disabilities assists eligible individuals with the cost of certain permanent home renovations to improve accessibility or be more functional or mobile at home.
Important facts:
You’re eligible if you’re::
A resident of B.C., and
A senior or a family member living with a senior, or
A person with a disability or a family member living with a person with a disability (for 2016 and later tax years).
The maximum amount of the credit is $1,000 per tax year and is calculated as 10% of the qualifying renovation expense (maximum $10,000 in expenses). The credit is a refundable tax credit, which means if the credit is higher than the taxes you owe, you’ll receive the difference as a refund
The renovation or alteration must help a senior or a person with a disability by:
Improving access to the home or land,
Improving mobility and functions within the home or land, or
Reducing the risk of harm within the home or land.
The main purpose of the renovation can't be to increase the value of the home or land.
A few examples of qualifying renovations or alterations (See the full list here)
Bathtubs – walk-in
Counters/cupboards – lowering existing ones
Door locks that are easy to operate
Doors that are widened for passage
Drawers and cupboards – touch-and-release
Flooring – non-slip or to allow the use of walkers or wheelchairs
General renovation costs – necessary to enable access for seniors or persons with disabilities to first-floor or secondary suites
Grab bars and related reinforcements around the toilet, tub and shower
…And more!
Interested in creating a rental suite in your home, and receiving up to $40,000 from the government to help pay for it? Visit again soon for Part 2 of our rebate and grant blog post to learn more! For now - continue reading to learn about the multiple energy imrovement grants available to you.
Both the Provincial and Federal Governments want you to make energy-efficient upgrades to your home - and yes, you can apply for both - there are even bonuses available when you combine your upgrades. BC Hydro in partnership with CleanBC, makes it simple to receive funding for your upgrades and has more program information here
Important facts for all home grants and rebates:
Do not begin your renovations before applying and understand the requirements.
You may need to have a qualified Home Energy Advisor perform a home evaluation, such as Capital Energy to determine your eligibility and document your current energy efficiency, in order to determine if your upgrades are elegible
WINDOWS
BC Hydro Window and Door Rebate
Qualifying for rebates when upgrading your doors and/or windows is slightly more complicated, however there are very real benefits to homeowners for choosing more energy efficient products. Window and door upgrades can help insulate your home better, reducing heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer (the U-Factor). With better windows and doors in place, you’ll rely on your heating and cooling systems less and therefore reducing your monthly energy bills.
Rebate available: $100 per window or door to a maximum of $2000.
Once you have confirmed your home is eligible, there are a few facts to know:
Before ordering any new windows or doors, ensure they are approved by one of the 5 certification bodies BC Hydro lists
In order for your home to eligible, it must be primarly heated by electricity and follow a few other basic requirements you can see here.
They must replace existing windows and doors in the building envelope of the home - for example, new windows on an addition to your home will not be accepted
All windows and/or doors installed must be new, in good working order, not previously installed in another home or building.
All upgrades must be installed by a licensed contractor with a GST number and a valid B.C. business license - self installations are not eligible
HEAT PUMPS
Canada Greener Homes Grant (Federal Grant)
When combining the Federal and Provincial rebates, you could be eligible for up to $7,000 for replacing your existing space heating system with a heat pump. That’s enough to grab anyone’s attention! The value increases if your home is currently heated by natural gas, oil or propane. Similarly to applying for window rebates, there are some installation requirements to be aware of such as: the unit must be new, upgrades must be completed by a licensed contractor with a GST number and a valid business license, and the heat pump must be sufficiently sized to become your primary heating system.
So what’s so great about heat pumps? Heat pumps provide both efficient heating and cooling, helping your home stay comfortable year-round. They’re also around 50% more efficient than window A/C units, and up to 300% more efficient than traditional electric baseboard heaters.
There are different options for selecting your heatpump - the two main types being ductless and ducted. A Ductless heatpump includes an outdoor unit that gathers heat from the air and transfers it via refrigerant lines to the head(s) mounted inside your home. This is a common option if you’re not performing other renovations in your home and don’t already have ducting. You can install mini or multi-splits depending on how many mounted units you install in your home, with each one controlled via a remote control or thermostat depending on your system.
A ducted heat pump (or central heat pump) also has an outdoor unit connected to an indoor unit but uses ducts to move warm or cool air. This is a good option if replacing an existing natural gas furnace however be aware that your existing ducting may require some upgrades as well. Temperature is controlled via a central thermostat.
INSULATION
Rebate Available: Up to $1,200.00 (can also be bundled for bonus amounts, see below)
Upgrading your insulation can absolutely save you money on heating costs. We’d recommend finding a qualified installer and ensuring they are aware of your needs prior to doing the work. Of course as your General Contractor, we can also help ensure everything follows installation requirements! Understanding the R-value of different insulation materials and eligibility can be a little confusing but we recommend at least reading through the requirements before discussing with your general contractor or installer.
You’ll require a detailed invoice, showing details such as area new installation was installed and the starting and final R-Value, as seen below.
BONUSES!
A word everyone loves to see. Essentially, the more upgrades you make the more efficient your home will be - and therefore you have options to combine two upgrades for a $300 bonus, or combine three and receive between $750 to $2,000. You will be required to conduct a pre-construction home evaluation as menitoned above in order to qualify. Contact an Energy Advisor Today. View more details online at:
www.bchydro.com/powersmart/residential/rebates-programs/home-renovation/bonus-rebates
*Once construction is complete, don’t wait to submit your application! Depending on which bundle you are applying for, you have 6 months from the date of your first upgrade invoice, and all items must be completed within 18 months of eachother.
