Heating Assistance Rebate Program Opens October 1

Nova Scotians living on a low income can soon apply for help to pay their heating bills this winter. Applications for the annual Heating Assistance Rebate Program open Wednesday, October 1.

The Heating Assistance Rebate Program is in addition to a host of other affordability measures launched by the government, which has:

• brought in more than $500 million in tax-saving measures by reducing the HST and changing income taxes so more Nova Scotians will pay less tax; the combined measures are expected to save the average Nova Scotian family more than $1,000 this year
• removed tolls for Nova Scotians on the Cobequid Pass and Halifax Harbour bridges, making travel for many commuters cheaper and easier
• increased support for people on income assistance
• quadrupled investment in the rent supplement program, helping 12,000 Nova Scotians last year
• invested 10 times the budget of previous governments in the community housing sector, creating and preserving more than 3,000 affordable housing units
• raised the minimum wage twice in 2025 (it will increase to $16.50 on Wednesday)
• increased disability support funding so that 29,000 people and families receive more each month.

“The Heating Assistance Rebate Program is back to help with home heating costs and this year our focus will be on helping the most vulnerable citizens of our province.” said Jill Balser, Minister of Service Nova Scotia. “We encourage all eligible Nova Scotians to take advantage of the program and apply. It’s one of the many support programs we deliver along with the Seniors’ Care Grant, the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors, Your Energy Rebate and more.”

Families earning a combined net income of up to $45,000 and single-person households earning a net income up to $30,000 are eligible to apply for the heating assistance rebate whether they rent or own, provided they pay for heat. Recipients of the Guaranteed Income Supplement or income assistance are also eligible. The rebate for 2025-26 is $400.

People can apply online at https://www.novascotia.ca/apply-heating-assistance-rebate-heating-assistance-rebate-program, and paper applications are available across the province at Access Nova Scotia centres and MLA offices. Previous recipients who qualify for this year’s program will get an application in the mail or an email reminding them about the rebate.

To help get the rebate sooner, people are encouraged to include a heating bill when they apply; otherwise, they may be asked to provide one. The deadline for applications is March 31.

People who are signed up for direct deposit with the Canada Revenue Agency will receive funds through direct deposit. Other eligible applicants will receive their payment by cheque.

Nova Scotians applying for this rebate may also be eligible for other assistance programs, such as:

• the Seniors Care Grant program, which helps with the cost of home heating, phone and internet services, prescription deliveries and more
• the Property Tax Rebate for Seniors program, which helps low-income seniors pay their municipal residential property taxes
• the Home Energy Assistance Top-Up Fund, which helps low-income individuals and families during an emergency heating situation; the fund will open in January.

Quick Facts:

• when contacting previous recipients, the Province will never ask for banking information or require applicants to take extra steps to claim an approved rebate
• in 2024-25, 118,287 applicants received the rebate, for a total of more than $71 million
• in 2025-26, the program is anticipated to help as many as 72,000 households with a budget of $32 million
• the Province also helps with the cost of energy through the Your Energy Rebate Program, which provides Nova Scotians with more than $145 million in rebates each year

Additional Resources:

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

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