InspireHow to Get Free Home Energy Upgrades in BC: ECAP Explained (2026)
Heat pumps, insulation, and weatherization, fully paid for if your household income qualifies. Here’s what’s actually free and what isn’t.
Updated July 18, 2026 · 7 min read · ✓ Fact-checked · Includes affiliated links
BC just put $222 million more into a program most British Columbians have never heard of: the Energy Conservation Assistance Program, or ECAP, announced June 29, 2026. It’s not a rebate. If your household income qualifies, heat pumps and insulation get installed at no cost to you.
If your household income is at or below roughly $51,100 (1 person) to $135,100 (7+ people), you may qualify for a completely free home-energy assessment plus retrofits like heat pumps, insulation, and air sealing through BC Hydro or FortisBC. Renters can apply too, with a landlord consent form. Apartments and condos become eligible in fall 2026, they aren’t yet.
Apply through whichever utility bills your primary heating, BC Hydro for electric, FortisBC for gas.
ECAP itself isn’t new, BC Hydro and FortisBC have run it for years. The June 2026 top-up is real new money though: $93.8 million federal, $8 million provincial, $100.5 million from BC Hydro, and $20.1 million from FortisBC. Together, that’s expected to help about 7,600 more households. Here’s what it actually means for you.
Who actually qualifies
This is an income-tested program, not a first-come-first-served rebate. Your household’s combined before-tax income, everyone 18 and older, needs to be at or below these thresholds:
| Household size | Maximum household income |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $51,100 |
| 2 people | $63,600 |
| 3 people | $78,200 |
| 4 people | $94,900 |
| 5 people | $107,600 |
| 6 people | $121,400 |
| 7 or more people | $135,100 |
Beyond income, a few other things matter: your home needs to have a BC Hydro, FortisBC, or eligible municipal utility account, and be a single-family detached home, townhome, rowhome, duplex, triplex, quadplex, or manufactured/mobile home. Apartments and condos aren’t eligible yet, that’s coming in fall 2026. You can apply once every 10 years per service address.
Electric, natural gas, oil, propane, and wood heating all qualify, this isn’t restricted to one fuel type the way OHPA is.
Renters can apply too
This is worth calling out because most retrofit programs are homeowner-only. If you rent and the utility account is in your name, you can apply, you’ll just need your landlord to complete and submit a consent form alongside your application. Upgrades installed through the program become part of the home and stay there unless you and the property owner agree otherwise.
What’s actually covered
Every eligible household gets a free home-energy assessment and energy coaching regardless of what upgrades they end up qualifying for. Beyond that, what you’re offered depends on your specific home:
Heat pumps and dual-fuel systems. Some income-qualified households qualify for a fully installed air-source heat pump or dual-fuel system, not a rebate toward one, the unit and installation.
Insulation and air sealing. Attic, wall, and basement insulation plus draft-proofing, the same category of work covered under CleanBC’s paid programs, but free here.
Other weatherization measures. The program describes this broadly, exact scope depends on what your home’s energy assessment identifies as worthwhile.
What it does not cover: air purifiers or general air-quality devices aren’t part of this program, and neither is cosmetic renovation work unrelated to energy efficiency.
How to apply
Apply online or by mail through whichever utility bills your primary heating source, BC Hydro for electric heat, FortisBC for gas.
Have proof of income ready for every household member 18 or older, plus your utility account information.
If you rent, include the landlord consent form with your application.
A free home-energy assessment comes first. What you’re offered afterward depends on what that assessment finds.
Frequently asked questions
Is ECAP the same program as CleanBC Better Homes?
No. CleanBC Better Homes (the Home Renovation Rebate and Energy Savings Program) are rebate programs, you pay upfront and get money back. ECAP is fully subsidized, income-qualified households pay nothing at all. Both are real, current BC Hydro and FortisBC programs, they’re just structured differently and serve different income levels.
Does ECAP cover apartments or condos?
Not yet as of this writing. BC Hydro’s own program page lists apartments and condominiums as becoming eligible in fall 2026. If you live in a multi-unit building now, check back closer to that date.
Can I get an air purifier through this program?
No. ECAP’s published scope covers heat pumps, insulation, air sealing, and similar weatherization and heating measures, not standalone air-quality devices. If wildfire smoke or indoor air quality is your main concern, this isn’t the program that addresses it.