Efficiency Nova Scotia home programs

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A $199 home energy assessment (free under the income threshold) unlocks rebates up to $5,000, up to $10,000 with the Moderate Income Rebate, and HomeWarming's free upgrades for income-qualified homeowners

Run by EfficiencyOne (Efficiency Nova Scotia) · verified against the official page 2026-10-19

Colourful wooden row houses on a steep street above a foggy Atlantic harbour

What it pays

  • $199Home Energy Assessment fee (waived under the income threshold)
  • up to $5,000Home Energy Assessment rebates
  • up to $5,000 moreModerate Income Rebate top-up (homes not heated mainly by electricity)
  • $300–$600 per tonHeat pumps: ductless $300/ton, centrally ducted $500/ton, closed-loop geothermal $600/ton
  • $500–$1,500 per tonModerate Income Rebate heat pump top-up: ductless $500/ton, centrally ducted $1,500/ton
  • Free upgradesHomeWarming (income-qualified homeowners)
  • Closed July 2, 2026Federal Oil to Heat Pump Affordability in NS

The audit question

Audit required

The Home Energy Assessment is the entry to the main rebate path; the income-qualified HomeWarming stream runs its own assessment as part of free delivery.

Who qualifies

All Nova Scotian homeowners can use the assessment path. The Moderate Income Rebate is for owner-occupied primary residences heated mainly by non-electric sources (wood stoves don't count as primary heat) with household income under its limits; HomeWarming is for lower-income homeowners. Book assessments through Efficiency Nova Scotia's registered energy advisors.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Book a Home Energy Assessment with a registered energy advisor through Efficiency Nova Scotia ($199, or apply first for a free assessment if your income qualifies).

  2. Review the EnerGuide label and Renovation Upgrade Report; they define your rebate-eligible upgrades.

  3. Check your tier before you buy: the Moderate Income Rebate needs pre-approval, and HomeWarming installs upgrades for free.

  4. Complete the upgrades within 12 months of the first assessment, keeping invoices and photos, then book the final assessment with the same advisor.

  5. Expect the rebate cheque within about 90 days of the final assessment.

The gotchas

  • Any contractor still selling the federal oil-to-heat-pump grant in Nova Scotia is out of date: Efficiency Nova Scotia stopped taking applications on July 2, 2026.
  • Tier before you buy: discovering the Moderate Income Rebate after paying standard-stream prices is the expensive order of operations.
  • The Moderate Income Rebate excludes homes heated mainly by electricity, and its per-measure amounts were cut when its maximum fell to $5,000.

Worth knowing

The assessment costs $199 and is waived for households under Efficiency Nova Scotia's income threshold; Moderate Income Rebate participants who paid up front are reimbursed when their other rebates are issued. You have 12 months from the first assessment to finish the work and the final assessment, and rebate cheques arrive within about 90 days of the final one. Efficiency Nova Scotia stopped accepting federal Oil to Heat Pump Affordability applications on July 2, 2026. It has also cut the Moderate Income Rebate top-up from a maximum of $10,000 to $5,000; with the regular rebates, the total can still reach $10,000. Nova Scotia also delivers the federal Greener Homes Affordability Program, through HomeWarming and the African Nova Scotian Communities Retrofit program.

Common questions

What replaced the oil-to-heat-pump money in Nova Scotia?

For now, provincial programs: Efficiency Nova Scotia stopped accepting Oil to Heat Pump Affordability applications on July 2, 2026, and the national program closed July 31, 2026. What remains is Home Energy Assessment rebates (heat pumps at $300–$600 per ton), the Moderate Income Rebate top-up, and HomeWarming's free upgrades for income-qualified homeowners, which also deliver the federal Greener Homes Affordability Program (verified October 8, 2026). From early 2027, the new federal National Heat Pump Rebate, announced October 8, 2026, is expected to add $2,000 toward a cold-climate air-source heat pump, or up to $10,000 for households below the median income, and it can be combined with provincial rebates.

Is HomeWarming free?

Yes, for income-qualified homeowners: a registered energy advisor does a free assessment, and recommended upgrades such as heat pumps, insulation and draft-proofing are installed at no cost. Renters aren't eligible.

Do I need the assessment before rebates?

Yes for the main path: the Home Energy Assessment defines your eligible upgrades and documents the home before and after.

What does the Nova Scotia home energy assessment cost?

$199, or nothing if your household is under Efficiency Nova Scotia's income threshold. Moderate Income Rebate participants who paid up front get the $199 back when their other rebates are issued; standard-stream participants don't.

How much can I get back after the assessment?

Up to $5,000 in Home Energy Assessment rebates, and up to $5,000 more through the Moderate Income Rebate if you qualify, for up to $10,000 in all. Examples from the August 2026 rebate guide: $500 per ton for a centrally ducted heat pump, $800 for a heat pump water heater, $30 per ENERGY STAR window or door opening, and $150–$750 for attic insulation.

Official program page ↗ Always confirm details there before spending — programs change faster than any tracker.

Sources

All Nova Scotia programs & guide → Related: Oil to Heat Pump (OHPA)Related: Greener Homes Affordability Full tracker

Start with the required assessment

Efficiency Nova Scotia runs through a registered energy advisor. We'll match you with a licensed service organization for your area.

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