FortisBC Dual Fuel Rebate Returns Oct 15, 2026

Quick answer: Starting October 15, 2026, FortisBC's dual fuel heating system rebate is back. Eligible homes can get up to $4,000 through the residential Home Renovation Rebate, or up to $8,000 through the income-qualified program, when they replace a gas furnace that's at least 15 years old with a heat pump and a new high-efficiency gas furnace working together. An HPCN contractor must install it, commission it through DSMAlly and set the switchover at or below 5°C in the Lower Mainland. You apply at fortisbc.com within 6 months of your invoice, and processing typically takes about 90 days.

Updated October 13, 2026. Source: FortisBC Trade Ally program training (October 2026). FortisBC posts full program terms at fortisbc.com/rebates starting October 15, 2026. FortisBC makes all eligibility, funding and approval decisions, and amounts are maximums that can change.

What's changing on October 15, 2026

Starting October 15, 2026, FortisBC's dual fuel rebate is back in market for residential customers in two streams. The residential stream runs through the Home Renovation Rebate program and pays up to $4,000. The income-qualified stream pays up to $8,000 to households that meet FortisBC's income and home rules. Both streams cover the same kind of system: a central ducted heat pump paired with a new high-efficiency gas furnace, controlled together so the heat pump does most of the work and the furnace takes over on the coldest days.

If you've been holding off on replacing an old furnace this fall, the timing matters. The rebate applies to qualifying installations under the program terms that start October 15, 2026. If you sign a contract or schedule work before that date, ask your contractor how the dates on your invoice line up with the program before anything is installed.

Who this rebate is for

This rebate is built for detached and ground-oriented homes in the FortisBC gas service area that still heat with an aging gas or propane furnace. In the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, that describes many homes in Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, Maple Ridge, North Vancouver and the surrounding communities. It suits homeowners who want air conditioning in summer, lower gas use in winter and a furnace they can still rely on during a cold snap.

It isn't for every home. Condos, apartments and vacation homes are not eligible. If your furnace is newer than 15 years, you don't meet the core rule yet. If your home heats with electric baseboards or an electric furnace, BC Hydro's heat pump rebates are the program to look at instead (see our BC Hydro heat pump rebate guide).

Every rule in one table

Rule	Residential (Home Renovation Rebate)	Income-qualified
Maximum rebate	Up to $4,000	Up to $8,000
Start date	Back in market starting October 15, 2026
Existing system	Natural gas furnace, or propane furnace where piped propane is supplied by FortisBC, a minimum of 15 years old. Insurance or warranty claims are not eligible.
New system	Heat pump plus new high-efficiency gas furnace that replaces the existing furnace and is the primary source of heat. Must be an eligible system with an AHRI number listed on fortisbc.com/dualfuel.
Venting	Installed with a two-pipe direct vent system, even where the manufacturer's instructions allow alternatives
Switchover (Lower Mainland)	Outdoor switchover temperature control set per program requirements: at or below 5°C in the Lower Mainland
Contractor	Licensed gas contractor in good standing with Technical Safety BC, a member in good standing of the Home Performance Contractor Network (HPCN), listed in the HPCN directory as eligible for this rebate, and trained as FortisBC requires
Load calculation	CAN/CSA F280-12 heat load calculation
Commissioning	Done at the time of installation, with commissioning data submitted on site by the contractor through the DSMAlly mobile app
Home types not eligible	Condos, apartments and vacation homes
Extra income-qualified rules	Not applicable	Household income limits, home at least 10 years old, 3,500 sq ft or less, assessed value under $1.2 million, and only one property owned in BC
How to apply	Online at fortisbc.com within 6 months of the invoice date
Processing	Typically about 90 days

How a dual fuel system works

A dual fuel system, sometimes called a hybrid system, pairs an electric air source heat pump with a gas furnace. The heat pump sits outside and moves heat into your home in winter and out of your home in summer. The furnace sits inside and shares the same ductwork. A matched control decides which one runs.

Above the switchover temperature, the heat pump heats the home on electricity. When the outdoor temperature drops to the switchover point, the furnace takes over. For this rebate, the switchover in the Lower Mainland has to be set at or below 5°C. Our winters spend most hours above that point, so the heat pump carries most of the heating season and the furnace covers the coldest stretches.

You also get central air conditioning from the heat pump, which matters more each summer in the Fraser Valley. One system, one set of ducts, heating and cooling all year.

What "matched" means for the equipment

FortisBC's terms require an eligible system with an AHRI number listed on fortisbc.com/dualfuel. That listing covers the heat pump and furnace as a rated system. It's the first thing to check on any quote. If the combination on your quote isn't on FortisBC's list, it won't qualify. The system also has to be installed with a two-pipe direct vent, even where the manufacturer's instructions allow other venting. We confirm the listing before equipment is ordered and put it in writing on your quote.

Residential path: up to $4,000

The residential path is open to FortisBC customers who meet the system and home rules in the table above. There is no income test. The rebate is a maximum of $4,000 and can't be more than the paid cost of the work. Your contractor handles the technical parts: the load calculation, the matched equipment, the switchover setting and DSMAlly commissioning. You submit the application at fortisbc.com once the work is invoiced.

Income-qualified path: up to $8,000

The income-qualified path doubles the maximum to $8,000 for households that meet FortisBC's rules. Based on the program training, those rules include household income limits, a home at least 10 years old, a home of 3,500 sq ft or less, an assessed value under $1.2 million and owning only one property in BC. FortisBC sets the income table and checks proof of income, so confirm your income level with FortisBC before you rely on this amount. See our eligibility checklist for the full list of documents to gather.

How to get the FortisBC dual fuel rebate: 9 steps

1. Check your furnace. Find the age on the furnace label or your records. It needs to be a natural gas furnace, or a propane furnace on piped propane supplied by FortisBC, a minimum of 15 years old. Replacements paid through an insurance or warranty claim aren't eligible.
2. Check your home type. Detached and ground-oriented homes can qualify. Condos, apartments and vacation homes can't.
3. Pick your path. Decide if you'll apply under the residential path (up to $4,000) or check the income-qualified rules (up to $8,000).
4. Book an HPCN contractor. Only an HPCN member can do a qualifying install. We're an HPCN member and a FortisBC Trade Ally.
5. Get a CAN/CSA F280-12 load calculation. This sizes the heat pump and furnace to your home, room by room, instead of guessing from the old furnace.
6. Confirm the matched system. Your quote should show an AHRI number listed on fortisbc.com/dualfuel and a two-pipe direct vent.
7. Install and set the switchover. The system is installed with permits, and the switchover is set at or below 5°C.
8. Commission at install. Your contractor commissions the system at the time of installation and submits the data on site through the DSMAlly mobile app.
9. Apply within 6 months. Submit your application at fortisbc.com within 6 months of the invoice date, with your paid invoice. Processing typically takes about 90 days.

Documents to keep

• Your final paid invoice, showing equipment model numbers and the install address
• The AHRI number for the system, as listed on fortisbc.com/dualfuel
• The CAN/CSA F280-12 load calculation summary
• Confirmation that DSMAlly commissioning is complete
• Your FortisBC account number
• For the income-qualified path: the proof of income FortisBC asks for

Common reasons applications get delayed

• The furnace being replaced is under 15 years old.
• The system's AHRI number isn't listed on fortisbc.com/dualfuel.
• The furnace isn't vented with a two-pipe direct vent.
• The replacement is part of an insurance or warranty claim.
• The switchover is set above 5°C.
• The installer isn't an HPCN member listed as eligible for this rebate, or commissioning data wasn't submitted through DSMAlly at installation.
• The application goes in more than 6 months after the invoice.
• The invoice is missing model numbers or isn't marked paid.

How this fits with other programs

Rebate programs in BC have overlap rules. Under the provincial program rules, a home can generally receive only one rebate for a primary heating system across the BC Hydro, FortisBC and CleanBC programs, including the FortisBC dual fuel program. Other upgrades, like insulation or windows, follow their own rules. Before you plan on more than one rebate, check each program's terms or use our rebate tool to sort out what applies to your home.

Is dual fuel the right choice for your home?

Dual fuel makes the most sense when you already have gas service, good ductwork and an older furnace, and you want cooling plus a gas backup on the coldest days. If you'd rather go fully electric, or your home heats with electricity now, read dual fuel vs all-electric heat pumps in BC. It walks through which rebate fits which home.

Key dates for fall 2026

Date	What happens
October 15, 2026	FortisBC dual fuel rebate back in market (residential up to $4,000, income-qualified up to $8,000)
October 31, 2026	Last day for BC Hydro's limited-time heat pump bonus installs (electric to heat pump only)
November 30, 2026	BC Hydro bonus application deadline
6 months after your invoice	Deadline to apply for the FortisBC dual fuel rebate
About 90 days after you apply	Typical FortisBC processing time

What to do this week if your furnace is 15 years or older

Fall is when older furnaces show their age. If yours is 15 years or older and still running, this is a good window to plan instead of replacing it in a rush after a breakdown. Book a visit, get the load calculation done, and have a quote with a listed AHRI number ready so the install can go ahead under the program terms starting October 15, 2026. If your furnace has already failed, call us. Emergency service is available, and we can talk through a temporary repair or a replacement that still fits the rebate rules.

Dual fuel in Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley homes

Most of the homes we see for dual fuel are 1970s to 2000s detached houses with a mid-efficiency or older high-efficiency furnace and existing ductwork. In North Vancouver and Burnaby, hillside homes often have long duct runs that need balancing. In Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford, newer subdivisions usually have ductwork that suits a heat pump coil with little change. In Maple Ridge and the eastern Fraser Valley, colder outflow winds make a reliable furnace backup worth having. The load calculation shows what your home needs, whatever the neighbourhood.

Glossary

• Dual fuel (hybrid) system: a heat pump and gas furnace that share ductwork and controls.
• Switchover temperature: the outdoor temperature at which the furnace takes over from the heat pump. At or below 5°C for this rebate in the Lower Mainland.
• AHRI number: the rating listing for a heat pump and furnace system. FortisBC lists eligible AHRI numbers at fortisbc.com/dualfuel.
• Two-pipe direct vent: a furnace venting setup with separate pipes for combustion air and exhaust. Required for this rebate.
• HPCN: the Home Performance Contractor Network, the contractor list FortisBC and BC Hydro use for rebate installs.
• DSMAlly: the tool contractors use to record commissioning for FortisBC.
• CAN/CSA F280-12: the Canadian standard for calculating a home's heating and cooling load.

Why homeowners call Budget Heating & Plumbing Services

We're a family-owned HPCN member and FortisBC Trade Ally with factory-trained techs, a written warranty and no hidden fees. We do the load calculation, confirm the system's AHRI number is on FortisBC's list, install with permits, set the switchover and complete DSMAlly commissioning so your paperwork matches what FortisBC asks for. We serve the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, and same-day service is available for many repair calls.

Call 604-343-1985 or book online. Budget Heating & Plumbing Services is an HPCN member and a FortisBC Trade Ally, licensed, bonded and insured, with emergency service available.

Related: FortisBC dual fuel rebate starting Oct 15, 2026 · dual fuel eligibility checklist · dual fuel vs all-electric · BC Hydro heat pump rebate · rebate tool · heat pump services · heat pump installation