News release

Province Opens Heating Assistance Rebate Program

Service Nova Scotia

Nova Scotians can now apply for a $600 rebate on their heating bills this year through the Heating Assistance Rebate Program (HARP).

“The cost of living continues to be a challenge across the province and across the country,” said Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Service Nova Scotia. “Nova Scotians rely on HARP to help with their heating costs and we’ll be there to help even more people keep the heat on this winter.”

Families earning up to $75,000 or single-person households earning up to $55,000 are eligible, whether they rent or own.

Since 2009, the program has offered a rebate of up to a $200 to single-person households earning $29,000, and families earning $44,000. Last year, the rebate was temporarily increased to $1,000.

Nova Scotians applying for the HARP rebate may also be eligible for the newly expanded $750 Seniors Care Grant, the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors, and the Home Energy Assistance Top-up Fund administered by The Salvation Army, and may also benefit from the long-running Your Energy Rebate Program.

For information on HARP or to apply online, visit: https://beta.novascotia.ca/programs-and-services/heating-assistance-rebate-program-harp .

Application forms are also available at Access Nova Scotia, Community Services and MLA offices.

Quick Facts:

  • for the 2022-23 season, 155,800 applicants got the rebate for a total of nearly $156 million
  • households receiving support from the Department of Community Services, the Guaranteed Income Supplement or the Allowance from Service Canada also qualify for the Heating Assistance Rebate Program
  • improvements like the addition of direct deposit, expansion of eligibility criteria and ability to opt in through the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors have made it easier for more people to apply for and receive their rebate faster
  • last year, over 80 per cent of applicants received their rebate through direct deposit; to sign up for Canada Revenue Agency direct deposit, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/direct-deposit.html
  • the Province also helps with the cost of home energy with the Your Energy Rebate program, which will provide Nova Scotians with a total of $131.2 million in rebates this year

Additional Resources:

Seniors Care Grant application: https://beta.novascotia.ca/apply-help-household-healthcare-and-home-heating-costs-seniors-care-grant

Information about the Home Energy Assistance Top-up Fund: https://salvationarmy.ca/maritime/home/programs/heat/

Property Tax Rebate for Seniors: https://beta.novascotia.ca/apply-property-tax-rebate-property-tax-rebate-seniors

Your Energy Rebate Program: https://beta.novascotia.ca/programs-and-services/your-energy-rebate-program-yerp

Efficiency Nova Scotia programs: https://www.efficiencyns.ca/residential/

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