Incentives

Ground source heat pumps are efficient and environmentally friendly. They can reduce your electric heating costs by up to 60%, protect you from the impacts of future heating costs, and help you save for years to come.

Efficiency Manitoba offers financial support to make your upgrade to a ground source heat pump easier and more affordable. This enhanced offer is an initiative of the Affordable Home Energy Program.

In order to qualify for this incentive and to upgrade to an energy-efficient heating system, the following criteria must be met:

• Your heat pump is replacing an existing electric furnace/boiler, electric baseboards, or natural gas heating system. Homeowners who are converting from fuel oil are also eligible for incentives.
• The heat pump is being installed in a residential property; and the heat pump is being installed in your primary (not seasonal) residence.
• New homes are eligible and can stack this offer with the New Homes Program.
• Your supplier is registered with Efficiency Manitoba and an accredited installer of the Manitoba Geothermal Energy Alliance.
• The home falls within Part 9 Buildings (residential); exception will be made to single-detached homes that fall within Part 3 Buildings.

This enhanced residential offer provides qualifying homeowners:

1. No up-front cost and interest-free financing for installations up to $38,000 (with taxes); installations over $38,000 (with taxes) will require an up-front customer contribution; upgrades required to your home’s equipment due to the ground source heat pump installation may require upfront payment to your contractor
2. An interest-free loan of $13,500 is spread over 15 years ($75/month) on your Manitoba Hydro bill
3. The incentive varies based on total system size and cost, capped at $38,000
4. Available to all Manitobans, not income based

The process to participate in this incentive program is:

1. CHOOSE AN ACCREDITED INSTALLER & APPLY: Your installer must be an active member of the Manitoba Geothermal Energy Alliance (MGEA). Efficiency Manitoba recommends getting several quotes, and checking references before making your installer choice. Be sure to compare the proposed design of each installer; pay attention to the loop sizing for ground loop systems. Once you’ve chosen an installer, they’ll lead you through the application process and apply on your behalf. You’ll need to agree to the terms and conditions at this time.
2. GET APPROVAL FOR OUR PROJECT: Efficiency Manitoba will send you an email approving your project and from there, you’ll have one year to install your ground source heat pump. Be sure to wait for approval before starting any work.
3. COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT: Once your heat pump is installed and operational, you and your installer will sign a completion declaration and submit all applicable permits and invoices. Efficiency Manitoba will review these documents and pay your installer.
4. CHECK YOUR MONTHLY ENERGY BILL: Efficiency Manitoba will set up your monthly $75 payment on your Manitoba Hydro energy bill.

For full details and program guide, please visit Efficiency Manitoba’s website.

Ground source heat pumps are efficient and environmentally friendly. They can reduce your electric heating costs, protect you from the impacts of future heating costs, and help you save for years to come.

In order to qualify for this incentive and to upgrade to an energy-efficient heating system, the following criteria must be met:

• Your heat pump is replacing an existing electric furnace/boiler, electric baseboards, or natural gas heating system.
• Your heat pump is being installed in an existing commercial building.
• Your supplier is registered with Efficiency Manitoba and an accredited installer of the Manitoba Geothermal Energy Alliance.
• New construction farm buildings may be eligible for incentives. For more details, contact Efficiency Manitoba.

The incentive is based on a prescriptive structure; it’s calculated as being the lesser of:

1. $2.50 per square foot heated by a ground source heat pump system; or
2. $120 per MBH of installed heating capacity; or
3. $120 per MBH of the building’s eligible base transmission and infiltration heating load.

The process to participate in this incentive program is:

1. CHOOSE AN ACCREDITED INSTALLER & APPLY: Your installer must be an active member of the Manitoba Geothermal Energy Alliance (MGEA). Efficiency Manitoba recommends getting several quotes and checking references before making your installer choice. Be sure to compare the proposed design of each installer; pay attention to the loop sizing for ground loop systems. Once you’ve chosen an installer, they’ll lead you through the application process and submit an application on your behalf. You’ll need to agree to the terms and conditions at this time.
2. GET APPROVAL FOR OUR PROJECT: Efficiency Manitoba will send you an email approving your project and from there, you’ll have one year to purchase and install your ground source heat pump. Be sure to wait for approval before purchasing materials or starting any work.
3. COMPLETE YOUR PROJECT & GET YOUR REBATE: Once your heat pump is installed and operational, you and your installer will sign a completion declaration and submit all applicable permits and invoices. Efficiency Manitoba will review these documents and then send you your rebate. Efficiency Manitoba may contact you to schedule a post-installation verification of your heat pump prior to issuing your rebate.

For full details and program guide, please visit Efficiency Manitoba’s website.

A Manitoba Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit up to 15% is available for the installation of eligible geothermal systems throughout Manitoba. This includes installations into most buildings including existing and newly constructed residential and commercial buildings.

The following summarizes the incentives that are provided through province-wide Green Energy Equipment Tax Credits:

• Existing & New Homes: Manitobans can receive up to $2,400 of incentives from the Province of Manitoba through a Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit.
• Commercial Buildings: Owners are eligible to receive up to 15% of the value of their installed geothermal systems through refundable tax credits.
• District/Community Geothermal Systems (where a minimum of three detached buildings are served by one geothermal system): Owners are eligible to receive tax credits up to 15%.

The tax credit can be claimed through the income tax system either on the individual T1 income tax return or the corporate T2 income tax return. Individuals, corporations and not for profit organizations can claim the refundable tax credit for eligible geothermal installations. For more information or assistance on the Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit contact The Manitoba Tax Assistance Office or see http://www.gov.mb.ca/finance/tao/green.html.

Send an application to the Manitoba Geothermal Energy Incentive Program to apply for a geothermal grant.

For a grant application form, a grant guide or additional information on the Government of Manitoba geothermal incentives please click here.

also see Canada Greener Homes Loan

As of February 12, 2024 5PM EST, the Canada Greener Homes Grant is no longer accepting new applicants; homeowners who are already participating are encouraged to proceed in a timely manner with their retrofits and will continue to be eligible for funding.

The Canada Greener Homes Grant provides homeowners up to $5,600. This grant includes $600 to cover the costs of the home evaluations, and up to $5,000 total for the implementation of eligible retrofits such as ground source heat pumps, home insulation, windows, doors, and air sealing. You are not eligible for this grant if you’ve completed you retrofits without having an evaluation completed first.

Under the Canada Greener Homes Grant, ground source heat pumps must be listed as an eligible product from the approved list in order to qualify for the grant. You are eligible for $3,000 to replace an existing geothermal heat pump or $5,000 for a new geothermal heat pump installation. If you are replacing an existing heat pump, you will have $2,000 available for other eligible retrofits to improve your home.

This grant requires two evaluations of your home:

1. pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation before you undertake any retrofits (must be performed by an NRCan registered energy advisor)
2. post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation, which will show you how much more energy-efficient your home has become

The process to take advantage of this grant is:

1. apply for the Canada Greener Homes Grant and wait for Natural Resources Canada to approve your application
2. book an energy advisor to complete a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation
3. have your installer complete the geothermal heat pump replacement or installation (using an eligible unit and recommended by your energy advisor in their report)
4. once the installation is complete and you’ve received your invoices and other required documentation from your installer, book an energy advisor to complete the post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation
5. provide final documentation to NRCan to complete the application and receive your reimbursement

To read the full eligibility criteria, and grant requirements to ensure you qualify, visit the NRCan website.

Manitoba Hydro offers a convenient and affordable financing option if you want to make energy efficiency upgrades to your home, including the installation of geothermal heat pumps. This program assists with the cost of installing a geothermal heat pump, which reduces a home’s annual heating energy use by 50 to 70 percent, space cooling costs up to 40 percent and domestic water heating costs up to 25 percent. The monthly payment is added to your energy bill, no down payment is required, and financial assistance of up to $20,000 is available for new installations and retrofits.

The process of applying for this loan is:

• Check to see if you are eligible. The loan is available to eligible Manitoba homeowners with approved credit. Additionally, the project must meet the requirements for geothermal heat pumps.
• Contact a registered supplier. The contractor/supplier must be a registered program supplier with Manitoba Hydro and approval must be provided before any work is started or materials are purchased.
• Complete your project. After your project is completed, your contractor/supplier will arrange for signing of a Completion Certificate to acknowledge the work was completed.
• Pay the loan through your monthly energy bill. You make the monthly loan payment which is added on to your energy bill. You can also make additional payments to your loan at any time without penalties as long as loan the loan isn’t paid in full during the first 6 months.

Under the Home Energy Efficiency Loan, geothermal heat pumps must be designed and installed by a certified contractor recognized by the Manitoba Geothermal Energy Alliance (MGEA).

For full details on the loan, please visit Manitoba Hydro’s website.

also see Canada Greener Homes Grant

The Canada Greener Homes Loan remains open and is no longer combined with the Canada Greener Homes Grant. The Canada Greener Homes Loan works to help make your home more energy efficient and comfortable through interest free financing to help get the major retrofits completed for your home as recommended by your energy advisor.

The loan is available between $5,000 – $40,000, interest free over ten years.

Any work started before your loan application has been submitted are ineligible. It is also recommend that you do not start any work before your loan application has been approved – if you choose to begin your retrofits before your loan application is approved, you are responsible for all costs if your application is declined.

To read the full eligibility criteria, and loan requirements to ensure you qualify, visit the NRCan website.