As of October 30, 2026, three Nova Scotia heat pump programs are taking applications and a federal rebate is close behind. Each one is explained below in plain language. The rules shift often, so check with the program itself before you sign anything.
The order matters, and getting it wrong can cost you money. Step one: if you might qualify on income, apply for the Moderate Income Rebate at efficiencyns.ca and wait for approval. Approved households get the assessment free, so applying first can save the $199. Step two: book the initial Home Energy Assessment with a registered energy advisor. Step three: get quotes and have the work done within 12 months of that first assessment. Step four: book the final assessment with the same advisor. Efficiency Nova Scotia's guide says to expect the rebate cheque within 90 days of the final assessment.
The Home Energy Assessment rebate pays you back for part of a new heat pump after an energy advisor visits the house before and after the work. The first assessment costs $199, and it must be done before the system is installed.
Payment is based on tons of heat pump capacity. The June 2026 guide sets $300 a ton for ductless units, $500 a ton for central ducted systems and $600 a ton for geothermal, with a $5,000 limit per home and never more than the job cost. Work has to be done within 12 months of the first assessment.
| Heat pump type | Rebate per ton | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ductless | $300 | A 2-ton ductless system earns about $600 |
| Centrally ducted | $500 | A 4-ton ducted system earns about $2,000 |
| Geothermal | $600 | A 4-ton system earns about $2,400 |
| Heat pump water heater | $800 flat | Tanks under 56 gallons and 56 gallons or more |
The Moderate Income Rebate covers owners who live in the home, meet the income limits and rely mostly on oil, propane or another non-electric fuel. Wood heat is not accepted as the main source here, and electrically heated homes are left out.
It adds $500 per ton for a ductless heat pump and $1,500 per ton for a ducted one, up to $5,000 more. Combined with the Home Energy Assessment, that can reach $10,000. Efficiency Nova Scotia must approve you before the work starts.
The June 2026 Efficiency Nova Scotia guide rules out several things under both the Home Energy Assessment and the Moderate Income Rebate. Replacement heat pumps, working or not, do not qualify; only newly added capacity earns a rebate. Ducted, compact ducted and mixed-ducted mini-split systems do not qualify. Heat pump equipment in unconditioned space, such as ductwork through a cold attic, does not qualify. Heat pumps must be on the eligible list at efficiencyns.ca/heatpump and installed by a certified Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic. Equipment must be new and bought in Canada, and the rebate can never be more than the cost of the work.
Some programs stack and some do not. The Home Energy Assessment and the Moderate Income Rebate are built to work together, for up to $10,000 on qualifying upgrades. HomeWarming is separate: the guide says only one Efficiency Nova Scotia program will pay for any given upgrade, so a heat pump paid for through HomeWarming cannot also earn the assessment rebate. A heat pump water heater can get $800 off in store through the instant rebate or $800 through the assessment, not both. How the new National Heat Pump Rebate will combine with provincial programs is not yet known.
The Moderate Income Rebate requires the home to be your primary residence, so a cottage or camp does not qualify. The Home Energy Assessment guide does not list primary residence as a rule, but it does require proof of ownership, a home connected to the grid, in livable condition, with a working automated heating system. A seasonal place that meets those rules may qualify; a camp with only a wood stove or no year-round power likely will not. Call Efficiency Nova Scotia at 1-877-999-6035 to confirm before booking. The federal rules for second homes are due November 1, 2026.
HomeWarming pays for upgrades such as heat pumps and insulation for homeowners who meet its income limits. It grew on June 29, 2026, with room for about 1,600 more households across the province.
Efficiency Nova Scotia arranges the work through HomeWarming. If you think you may qualify, call them at 1-877-999-6035 before you book a private heat pump install.
Ottawa announced its National Heat Pump Rebate on October 8, 2026. It is worth $2,000 for an eligible system, rising to as much as $10,000 for low- to median-income households.
The program opens in early 2027, and the federal page says eligible heat pumps installed from November 1, 2026 will qualify. No energy audit is needed. The list of eligible systems and the full rules are due out in November, so keep your invoice and check the model before you buy.
If you are installing a heat pump this winter and hope to claim the federal rebate, keep good records from the start. Make sure the model will be on the federal eligible products list once it is published. Keep the itemized invoice, proof of payment and the model and serial numbers of every indoor and outdoor unit. Note the installation date, since only installs from November 1, 2026 are covered. Canada.ca says the eligibility rules, rebate amounts and product list will be posted from November 1, 2026, and the online portal opens in early 2027. Check that page before you sign a quote that counts on the federal money.
Nova Scotia's Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program stopped taking applications in 2026. Both federal Greener Homes programs, the grant and the loan, have ended as well.
If a salesperson at the door promises a grant from one of these programs, be careful. Check with Efficiency Nova Scotia before you sign anything.
Yes. The province's Heating Assistance Rebate Program gives $400 toward the heating bill to single people with net income up to $30,000 and families up to $45,000. You can apply between October 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027.
This is help with the bill, not a heat pump rebate, but many Cape Breton homes qualify for both.
For the rebate, Efficiency Nova Scotia wants the invoice to show each heat pump model, its AHRI number, the room each indoor unit went into, the date of the work and the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic number of the person who did it. We write every invoice to match.
Book two things: a free heat pump visit with us and an energy assessment through Efficiency Nova Scotia at 1-877-999-6035. Call (902) 201-6758 and we will walk you through the order of the steps. You can also go back to our home page to see every service we offer.
Yes. The Home Energy Assessment rebate only covers upgrades bought and installed between the initial and final assessments.
Efficiency Nova Scotia's guide says to expect the cheque within 90 days of the final assessment.
Moderate Income Rebate participants are entitled to a free assessment, and if they paid up front it is reimbursed when other rebates are issued.
Not through the Home Energy Assessment or Moderate Income Rebate, which only pay on added capacity. Federal rules are due November 1, 2026.
No. Electrically heated homes are not eligible. The Home Energy Assessment rebate is open regardless of heating type.
Ask your energy advisor about an extension before the deadline. The guide says extensions may come with changes to rebate amounts or rules.
Check the model against efficiencyns.ca/heatpump before you sign. Every quote should name the exact indoor and outdoor model numbers so you can look them up.
Every service below is available across Cape Breton Island.
A ductless heat pump heats a room or an open floor plan through a slim indoor head on the wall, with no ductwork needed. It is the most common job in Cape Breton because most older homes were never built with ducts.
Prices and details: Ductless Installation
A whole-home heat pump system runs several indoor heads from one or two outdoor units, so every main room gets its own heat. It is the right choice when one head cannot reach the bedrooms, the basement or the far end of the house.
Prices and details: Whole-Home Systems
A ducted central heat pump sends warm air through the ductwork a house already has, the same way a furnace does. It suits homes with a forced-air oil or electric furnace and ducts in good shape.
Prices and details: Ducted Central Systems
An oil to heat pump conversion replaces most or all of the heat from an oil furnace or boiler with a heat pump. It cuts the oil bill, and in many homes it ends oil deliveries altogether.
Prices and details: Switching From Oil
A proper heat pump cleaning takes the indoor head apart, washes the coil and the blower wheel, flushes the drain line and rinses the outdoor unit. A wipe of the filters is not a cleaning.
Prices and details: Cleaning and Maintenance
Heat pump repair finds out why a unit has stopped heating, is blowing cold air, is leaking water or is showing an error code, and then fixes it. Most problems come down to airflow, drainage, a sensor, a board or the refrigerant charge.
Prices and details: Repair and Service
A heat pump water heater heats your hot water by pulling warmth out of the air around the tank, instead of heating it with an electric element alone.
Prices and details: Hot Water Tanks
A heat pump keeps a cottage or seasonal home dry and above freezing through the winter, then cools it in summer. It is often the cheapest way to heat a camp that is only used on weekends.
Prices and details: Cottages and CampsTell us a little about your home and what heats it today, and we will book a free visit. Calls go to (902) 201-6758.
