There are major changes to the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability (OHPA) program coming for people living in Nova Scotia.
People living in Nova Scotia will no longer be eligible to receive federal funding, with rebates as high as $15,000, to switch from oil to a heat pump.
The OHPA program will remain in place in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, and the Yukon until the program wraps up 2027.
According to Natural Resources Canada, more than 9,000 homes received heat pump rebates in Nova Scotia in the last three years.
“Nova Scotia actually ranks as the second highest province in terms of energy poverty,” said Nova Scotia-based heat pump company owner Brodie Sampson, who added affordability issues often force Nova Scotia households to choose between spending money on home-heating costs instead of other essential, like groceries.
“If we were to sell 1,000 heat pumps in a year, I would say 300-400 of those would be through the OHPA program.”
He says provincial and federal government officials told him the program will end within the next eight weeks. CTV News reached out to Natural Resources Canada to clarify its plans.
In a statement, the department confirmed with CTV News that while the Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program is scheduled to end in 2027 in other areas of Canada, it will wrap up next year in Nova Scotia. It did not provide a specific timeline.
“Due to high demand and successful dissemination of funding in Nova Scotia, program funding will be fully committed in the province in 2026.”
Customers who haven’t yet applied for rebates, but would like to in the future, will be added to a standby list if additional federal funding becomes available.
Program made ‘huge difference’
The Fougere family in Halifax recently switched from oil heat to a heat pump in their home.
“This made a real, huge difference for us in many ways,” said Mike Fougere.
The cost was expensive, so they applied for government funding to help remove their oil tank, instal a new furnace, make electrical upgrades, and put a new heat pump on the side of their house.
The Fougeres were rewarded with several rebates from both the provincial and federal governments last summer.
“Altogether, the price was $26,000. And we only had to pay $4,000,” said Leone Fougere. “They covered everything else.”
While the heat pump program from the federal government is winding down, several levels of provincial funding will remain in place in Nova Scotia.
In an email to CTV, the Nova Scotia Department of Energy confirmed low-income households in the province will still get free energy upgrades, including heat pumps, through the provincial HomeWarming Program.
All Nova Scotians are still eligible to apply for up to $5,000 in heat pump rebates as part of the province’s Home Energy Assessment Program.
Middle-income households can still receive up to $15,000 in rebates through Nova Scotia’s Provincial Moderate Income Rebates Program.
