Manitoba launches retrofit program to cut home heating costs

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From pv magazine Global

The government of the Canadian province of Manitoba has launched the Affordable Home Energy Program to help households install ground-source heat pumps. The initiative is designed to reduce heating costs, provincial Environment Minister Mike Moyes said this week.

The program, administered through Efficiency Manitoba, targets homeowners who currently use electric heating and offers financial support for installing heat pumps. The province estimates households could save up to CAD 1,000 ($730) per year, or roughly 30% of annual electricity costs. More information is available at Efficiency Manitoba’s website.

“This is a big step toward a greener, more sustainable province,” Moyes said. He described the program as part of Manitoba’s broader Affordable Energy Plan, which aims to reduce household energy costs, cut emissions, and support clean-energy job creation.

The program includes no-upfront-cost options and extends support to both single-family homes and multi-unit residential buildings. Efficiency Manitoba will offer a full suite of services, from initial energy assessments to insulation and heat pump installation, said CEO Colleen Kuruluk. Clarence Jonker, president of the Manitoba Geothermal Energy Alliance, added that the initiative will build local capacity in geothermal installation to meet rising demand.

In November 2024, Canadian Premium Sand announced plans to open a 4 GW solar glass factory in the United States and expand its facility in Manitoba to 6 GW.

Earlier this year, the Canadian federal government committed CAD 7.9 million to expand its heat pump subsidy program in Manitoba, offering up to CAD 20,000 per household for oil-to-heat pump conversions. The Manitoba government pledged an additional CAD 2.6 million, aiming to help 5,000 families reduce energy costs and emissions.

Canada is expanding support for heat pumps through incentive programs, including Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings Program and the federal-provincial Oil to Heat Pump Affordability (OHPA) initiative in Manitoba, which provides up to CAD 20,000 for eligible households. Policymakers are also increasingly linking solar and battery storage to heat pump adoption, with technical studies showing better system performance and higher self-consumption.

Canada’s cumulative installed solar capacity surpassed 5 GW in 2024 on 314 MW of annual new PV additions, according to the Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

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