Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings Program is one of the most straightforward energy rebate programs the province has offered in years. No energy audit required. No inspection before or after. A registered contractor handles the paperwork. And depending on how your home is currently heated, you can receive between $500 and $7,500 back on a qualifying heat pump installation.
Mariposa Building Services is a registered contractor under the program and has helped Orillia homeowners navigate the process from first conversation to rebate payment. This is how it works.
What Is the Home Renovation Savings Program?
The Home Renovation Savings (HRS) Program launched in January 2025, replacing the previous Home Efficiency Rebate Plus (HER+) program. It is jointly delivered by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy, backed by the Ontario government as part of a $10.9 billion energy efficiency investment.
The program is confirmed through November 2026, though it can close early if funding is fully committed. Homeowners who are considering a heat pump upgrade should not treat November as a guaranteed deadline.
For heat pumps specifically, the HRS Program offers two paths: the Single Upgrade path (no energy audit required) and the Comprehensive path (energy audit required, but allows stacking of additional upgrade rebates like insulation and windows). For most Orillia homeowners installing only a heat pump, the Single Upgrade path is the right choice.
How Much Can You Get Back?
The rebate amount depends entirely on your home’s current heating fuel source and the type of heat pump you install.
Cold-Climate Air Source Heat Pump Rebates
Gas-heated homes (Enbridge Gas customers):
- $500 per ton of cooling capacity
- Maximum rebate: $2,000
Electrically heated, oil, propane, or wood-heated homes:
- $1,250 per ton of cooling capacity
- Maximum rebate: $7,500
A typical Orillia home needs a 2.5 to 3.5-ton system. For a gas-heated home with a 3-ton system, the rebate is $1,500. For an oil-heated home with the same system, it’s $3,750. For a larger electrically heated home that qualifies for the full 6-ton equivalent, the maximum $7,500 applies.
Ground Source (Geothermal) Heat Pump Rebates
Ground source systems are eligible for larger rebates due to their higher efficiency:
- Gas-heated homes: flat $3,000 rebate
- Non-gas homes: $2,000 per ton, up to $12,000 maximum
Ground source systems have significantly higher installation costs and are most relevant for properties with adequate land or a suitable water source for the ground loop. For most Orillia residential properties, an air source cold-climate system is the practical choice.
Who Qualifies?
To be eligible for a heat pump rebate through the Home Renovation Savings Program, you must:
- Own the home where the heat pump is installed
- Be an Enbridge Gas customer with an active account, or be connected to the Ontario electricity grid
- Install equipment that is on the Natural Resources Canada approved product list
- Use a registered contractor to complete the installation
Cornwall Electric customers are not eligible, as they are connected to the Hydro-Québec grid rather than the Ontario grid.
Homes that previously received rebates through the Canada Greener Homes Grant or the HER+ program cannot apply again under HRS. If your home already had a heat pump installed under an older rebate program, you are not eligible for a second rebate on the same property.
What Equipment Qualifies?
The program requires cold-climate air source heat pumps (CC-ASHPs) that appear on the Natural Resources Canada approved list. These are systems specifically rated for reliable performance at outdoor temperatures as low as -15°C to -25°C, which is critical for Orillia winters.
Standard air source heat pumps that are not rated for cold climates do not qualify. This is an important distinction, because a system that underperforms at -20°C will either leave your home cold or rely heavily on electric backup heat, eliminating most of the efficiency benefit.
Mariposa Building Services installs Trane, Mitsubishi Electric, and other cold-climate rated systems. Every heat pump the Mariposa team installs is verified against the NRCan list before the project begins.
Why Orillia Makes Sense for a Heat Pump
The common concern about heat pumps in Central Ontario is whether they can actually keep up in winter. Modern cold-climate heat pumps have answered this question. Units from leading manufacturers operate at full rated capacity down to around -15°C and continue to produce useful heat at -25°C or lower. Orillia’s average January low sits around -14°C. Well-engineered cold-climate systems are sized and specified for exactly this environment.
The efficiency advantage is real. A heat pump moves heat rather than generating it, which means it can deliver 2 to 3 units of heat energy for every unit of electricity it consumes. A high-efficiency natural gas furnace converts fuel to heat at roughly 95 to 98%. The heat pump consistently outperforms that on a cost-per-BTU basis at temperatures above around -10°C, and stays competitive below it.
For Orillia homeowners currently paying for both a furnace and a central air conditioner, a heat pump replaces both systems. That changes the capital comparison significantly. Instead of comparing a heat pump against just a furnace, the right comparison is heat pump plus the rebate against furnace replacement plus future AC replacement.
Mariposa’s central heat pump installation page covers the full installation process, what’s included, and how the team handles cold-climate setup specific to Ontario conditions.
How the Application Process Works with Mariposa
One of the most valued aspects of the Home Renovation Savings Program is that registered contractors handle the application, not the homeowner. Here is how the process runs when you work with Mariposa:
1. Initial consultation and sizing. Mariposa visits the home, assesses the current heating system, ductwork, and electrical, and recommends the right cold-climate heat pump for the property. Pre-qualification for the rebate is confirmed at this stage.
2. Equipment selection. Every homeowner is confirmed eligible and approved before any work begins. There is no risk of completing the project and finding out after the fact that something disqualifies the claim.
3. Installation. The team installs the indoor air handler (or connects to an existing air handler), the outdoor unit, line set, thermostat, and cold-climate settings. A full walkthrough follows installation so homeowners understand how to operate the system year-round.
4. Paperwork submission. Mariposa submits the rebate application as the registered contractor. The homeowner does not need to manage this.
5. Rebate payment. Processing typically takes 60 to 90 days after installation. Payment arrives by cheque or direct deposit.
No pre-inspection. No post-inspection. No energy audit required for the Single Upgrade path.
What About the Mariposa Advantage Warranty?
Heat pump installation with Mariposa includes access to the Mariposa Advantage maintenance plan, which extends warranty coverage to 15 years on parts and labour for installed equipment. Annual maintenance visits keep the system performing at rated efficiency, which also protects the warranty.
The Platinum Plan at $23.98 per month covers both the heat pump and any existing equipment, includes filter delivery, and gives priority service scheduling so you are never waiting at the back of the queue during a cold snap.
Is 2026 the Right Time to Install?
The program runs through November 2026 but has no guarantee of staying open until that date. Early commitments under the program have moved quickly in previous Ontario rebate cycles. Contractors and installers are busiest in late spring and early fall, which means summer installations typically have shorter lead times than pre-winter rush bookings.
If you have been considering a heat pump for one or two seasons, the combination of available rebates, current equipment performance, and active contractor availability in the Orillia area makes 2026 a reasonable time to move forward.
To get a no-pressure quote and rebate eligibility check for your home, call Mariposa Building Services at 705-330-1456 or submit your information online. The team can confirm your rebate tier and total installed cost in one visit.
Mariposa Building Services is a registered contractor under Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings Program. Serving Orillia, Simcoe County, and surrounding communities. Licensed and insured.
