Whether you’ve got a home that loses heat in the winter or an apartment that you boil in every summer, you might wonder if you can afford to be more comfortable. We know that it could seem difficult to invest in energy efficiency on a fixed or limited income, but you might qualify for our income-qualified offers to help bring your energy bill down–and make your home more comfortable–for free. 

How to qualify and save

We’ve written about some of the ways you can change your daily routines to be more energy-conscious, and we know there’s many more tips out there to discover. But if you want to pursue energy efficiency beyond extra sweaters and shorter showers, FortisBC has a whole suite of income-qualified programs that can help you reduce your energy use (and your energy bills).

Wonder if you qualify? The income qualifications for the programs are based on regulations set around the low-income cut-offs issued by Statistics Canada, which are updated annually. If you checked before and didn’t qualify, it might be worth checking again.

Unbox free energy savings

Have you heard of our Energy Saving Kit (ESK)? This box might be small, but it’s jam-packed with easy ways to make your home more energy efficient, whether you’re a homeowner or a renter. As of 2021, 33% of British Columbians were renters, and the ESK only contains upgrades that don’t usually require a landlord’s approval.¹

We offer the ESK to all our income-qualified customers completely free of cost. In collaboration with BC Hydro, we distributed close to 12,400 Energy Saving Kits in 2023. Every five years, income-qualified customers can send in a request for an ESK. Filling out the form to apply should take about five minutes. Once the application is accepted, the ESK should arrive in around three to six weeks.

What’s inside? Let’s find out.

The kit contains a wide range of energy-saving products, such as:

• an LED night light and four LED light bulbs
• a water-efficient showerhead
• kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators
• weatherstripping
• window film
• outlet and switch sealers
• a refrigerator/freezer thermometer
• a furnace filter coupon 

Most of these upgrades can be easily installed within a few minutes—and the ESK includes instructions for installing all of them. If you learn more by watching than reading, our YouTube channel has how-to videos for installing many of these upgrades including how to install water-efficient showerheads and faucet aerators, weatherstripping your windows, and changing your furnace filter.

The Energy Saving Kit is a great way to start making your home more energy efficient. But what else can you do?

Some Assistance, please

Beyond the Energy Saving Kit, the Energy Conservation Assistance Program is here to help eligible customers make their homes more comfortable, safe and energy efficient.

First, complete and sign the Energy Conservation Assistance Program application form. You don’t need to be a homeowner, but if you rent your home you’ll need to complete the Landlord Consent Form. To participate, you must be income-qualified and either own or rent a home (a detached house, duplex, townhouse, or manufactured/mobile house). Non-profits, co-ops or Indigenous housing organizations can also apply.

Once all the paperwork is sent off and approved, you’ll be contacted to schedule a free visit from one of the program’s energy coaches. These energy coaches are trained to recognize ways to make homes more energy efficient and come equipped with free energy-saving products that they’ll install for you. They might even install a carbon monoxide alarm as a safety upgrade.

And once they’ve installed what they can, they can walk you through how the property might save even more energy through larger upgrades based on your home’s insulation, airtightness and the age and efficiency of your fridge. If multiple visits are required to make your home as energy efficient as they can, they’ll work together with you to schedule those visits for when it works best for you. Depending on what they find, your home might qualify for insulation upgrades, draftproofing upgrades or an ENERGY STAR® certified refrigerator so your whole home can work in harmony.

Since BC Hydro and FortisBC first teamed up to deliver this program to income-qualified clients in 2012, energy coaches have completed more than 5,200 energy evaluations. Learn more here about applying, and what the Energy Conservation Assistance Program can do for you.

Rebates await

FortisBC has expanded its range of rebates for income-qualified customers who want to make considerable upgrades to their home. There’s no obligation to, but if you participate in the Energy Conservation Assistance Program first, an energy coach may recommend suitable upgrades and applicable rebates that you may be eligible for.

Many of our income-qualified rebates have eligible product lists that you can use to consult with your contractor. You can also apply for a pre-qualification code so the contractors you work with will know that you’re income qualified. To qualify for these rebates, you’ll need to submit proof of your current income. If you’ve applied for an income-qualified rebate before, you’ll only need to submit the proof of income again if it’s been two years or more.

You can apply for an income-qualified rebate for the following home improvements:

While the cost of these upgrades may seem daunting, these investments are incredibly desirable to current buyers. According to the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, energy efficient features are four of the top ten most desired features in a home, and nearly 58 per cent of those surveyed indicated than an energy-efficient home was a must-have for them.⁴ The most-desired efficiency feature was high-efficiency windows, with nearly 61 per cent calling them a must-have feature. If you’re looking to enhance the value of your home, we have a rebate for those.

Qualified Solutions

We know that no one knows your home better than you. No matter which eligible upgrade you want to prioritize, we appreciate that it’s a deeply personal choice; home is where the heart is, after all.

Whether you’re looking to make small changes for a real impact or upgrade as much of your home as possible, we’re here to support our customers in improving energy efficiency in their homes, helping to reduce energy use and energy bills. With the Energy Saving Kit, the Energy Conservation Assistance Program and our income-qualified rebates, we’re here to help you pursue your goals.

¹National Housing Day: A look at homeowners and renters - Statistics Canada ( statcan.gc.ca)

²Terms and Conditions apply.

³This program is funded by the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.

⁴2024 Canadian Home Buyer Preferences, Canadian Home Builders’ Association ( chba.ca)