HomeSave Central Kootenays Retrofit Rebate and Loan Access
Run by City of Nelson · Also called HomeSave
Through HomeSave Central Kootenays Retrofit Rebate and Loan Access, homeowners and renters in Regional District of Central Kootenay, Nelson and other areas, British Columbia can get up to $5,000 for whole-home retrofit, 50% or greater EnerGuide score reduction. You need an energy assessment before any work starts.
Up to
$5,000
for whole-home retrofit, 50% or greater EnerGuide score reduction
Verified
At a glance
| Maximum amount | $5,000 CAD (2026)$2,500 or $5,000 rebate; loans $5,000 to $40,000 |
|---|---|
| Funding type | Rebate |
| Status | Open |
| Who can apply | Homeowners, Renters, Income-qualified |
| Energy assessment required | Yes, before you start |
| Income-tested | Partly: the $2,500 tier is for income-qualified households |
| Deadline | No end date published |
| Where | Regional District of Central Kootenay, Nelson and other areas, British Columbia |
| Level | Municipal |
| Run by | City of Nelson |
| Official page | nelson.ca/3112/HomeSave-Program-Rebate |
| Last verified | |
| Verified by | Rebate Researcher, RebateHub |
| Confidence | HighEvery figure matches the official program pages. |
HomeSave Central Kootenays Retrofit Rebate and Loan Access. RebateHub.ca, https://rebatehub.ca/rebates/bc-nelson-homesave-central-kootenays#key-facts. Last verified October 12, 2026. Official source: https://www.nelson.ca/3112/HomeSave-Program-Rebate
What you can get
| Upgrade | What you get | Up to |
|---|---|---|
| Whole-home retrofit, 20% to 49% EnerGuide score reduction$2,500 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| Whole-home retrofit, 50% or greater EnerGuide score reduction$5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Income-qualified retrofit (two or more measures including a heat pump or solar PV), under 50% reduction$2,500The combined measures must still show at least a 20% reduction on the pre-retrofit evaluation. | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| NDCU retrofit loan (referral by the City)$5,000 to $40,000 at NDCU prime + 0.5%Five-year term, ten-year amortization; approval by Nelson & District Credit Union. | $5,000 to $40,000 at NDCU prime + 0.5% | $40,000 |
How it works
HomeSave Central Kootenays (formerly the Regional Energy Efficiency Program, or REEP) is run by the City of Nelson for residents of the Regional District of Central Kootenay and its member municipalities. Registration and advice are free: a HomeSave advisor helps you plan upgrades, review quotes and find other rebates. Subsidized EnerGuide evaluations are available while funding lasts.
The HomeSave rebate is based on measured results. If your before-and-after EnerGuide evaluations show a 20% to 49% reduction, you get $2,500; a reduction of 50% or more earns $5,000. Income-qualified households get $2,500 for any reduction under 50% if they complete at least two qualifying measures, one of which must be a heat pump replacing fossil fuel or electric resistance heat or a solar PV system. The rebate can be combined with other rebates.
Optional financing of $5,000 to $40,000 is available through Nelson & District Credit Union at NDCU prime plus 0.5% (five-year term, ten-year amortization), subject to the credit union's approval. City of Nelson homeowners can also use Nelson Hydro on-bill financing.
Who qualifies
- Single-family home, duplex, triplex, row home, townhouse or manufactured home on a permanent foundation anywhere in the RDCK, including its municipalities.
- Year-round primary residence occupied for at least 12 months and served by an electrical utility.
- Owners or tenants can apply; tenants need the owner's signed consent form.
- You must register and be approved before starting work, and complete pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluations. Stand-alone natural gas furnace upgrades and mechanical systems under 100% efficiency are not eligible.
- Income-qualified rates require household income at or below CleanBC Energy Savings Program Level 2 limits (for example, $76,810 for two people), with proof such as an ESP or ECAP approval.
How to apply
Step 1: Register with HomeSave through the online intake form on the City of Nelson's HomeSave page.
Step 2: Meet with a HomeSave advisor and book a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation; ask about the evaluation subsidy.
Step 3: Submit your pre-retrofit evaluation and cost estimates for approval, then complete the work within 12 months.
Step 4: Submit the post-retrofit evaluation, receipts and a statement of other rebates received to claim the rebate.
Get quotes from British Columbia installers
Free, no obligation. We pass your request to up to 3 independent installers who serve your area and, where a program requires it, are registered with it.
- 1. Your project
- 2. Your contact details
- Installers checked against your program’s contractor list, where it has one
- Installers pay us, never you
- Sent to up to 3 installers who serve your area. We don't sell or rent lists.
Book an energy assessment
Many rebates need an EnerGuide assessment before any work starts. We'll pass your request to up to 2 energy advisors who serve your area. Free to ask, no obligation; the advisor quotes their fee, and some programs rebate part of it.
- 1. Your project
- 2. Your contact details
- Book it before you sign any contract. Work done before the assessment can disqualify you.
- Energy advisors pay us, never you
- Sent to up to 2 installers who serve your area. We don't sell or rent lists.
Stacks with HomeSave
The program says these can be combined with it for the same home. Check each one’s rules for the same upgrade before you count on both.
- Last verified October 12, 2026OpenProvincialBritish Columbia
CleanBC Energy Savings Program (ground-oriented homes)
Income-tested rebates, paid directly to registered contractors, that cover up to the full cost of a heat pump or heat pump water heater for lower- and middle-income B.C. households.
$16,500
max rebate, income-qualified
Rebate - Last verified October 12, 2026OpenUtilityBritish Columbia
Home Renovation Rebate Program
Rebates for B.C. households of any income for heat pumps in electrically heated homes, insulation, windows and doors, and heat pump water heaters, plus larger heat pump rebates for northern homes leaving oil, gas or propane.
$12,500
max rebate
Rebate - Last verified October 12, 2026OpenMunicipalNelson
Nelson Hydro On-Bill Financing (EcoSave Energy Retrofit Loan)
City of Nelson homeowners can borrow up to $16,000 for energy efficiency upgrades and repay it on their Nelson Hydro electric bill. The July 2026 terms show a 3.5% fixed rate over 2, 5 or 10 years.
$16,000
max loan
Loan
Also worth checking
- Last verified October 12, 2026OpenFederalCanada-wide
Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program
Federally funded, no-cost home energy upgrades for low- and median-income homeowners and tenants. You apply through your province's or utility's partner program, not through Ottawa.
Free
Free upgrade - Last verified October 12, 2026OpenFederalCanada-wide
CMHC Eco Plus
A 25% refund of your CMHC mortgage insurance premium when you buy a newly built, energy-efficient home with a CMHC-insured mortgage.
Varies
Rebate - Last verified October 12, 2026OpenProvincialBritish Columbia
CleanBC Energy Savings Program Condo and Apartment Rebate
Income-tested rebates of up to $5,000 for an in-suite heat pump and up to $3,500 for a heat pump water heater in electrically heated condos and apartments.
$8,500
max rebate, income-qualified
Rebate
Sources
Other sources we checked