Solar Rebates in British Columbia

The Canada Greener Homes Loan closed to new applications on October 1, 2025 per Natural Resources Canada. From 2020–2025 it offered Canadian homeowners an interest-free loan of $5,000 to $40,000 for eligible retrofits, including solar photovoltaic systems. Applications already in-flight before the closure date are being processed normally. For 2026 residential solar financing, see the 30% Clean Tech ITC (business only), your provincial retrofit programs, credit-union solar loans, or a HELOC — full alternatives are covered in our closure article.

The federal Clean Technology ITC provides a 30% refundable tax credit on eligible clean-energy equipment, including solar PV, batteries, and geothermal. This is a business-only credit — sole proprietors, partnerships, and incorporated businesses qualify, but homeowners installing on their principal residence do not. If your solar project is a farm, home office setup used exclusively for business, or a commercial rental property, the ITC is highly worth exploring with your accountant.

British Columbia exempts solar photovoltaic equipment — panels, inverters, mounting rails, and related wiring — from the 7% Provincial Sales Tax under regulation B.C. Reg. 96/2013. On a $25,000 residential system, that's roughly $1,750 saved automatically at the point of sale. No application required; your installer applies the exemption to the invoice.

CleanBC's Better Homes program primarily rebates heat pumps ($3,000–$10,000) and building envelope upgrades. Solar PV isn't directly rebated at the provincial level, but if you're combining solar with a heat pump conversion, the stackable Better Homes rebate can offset the cost of the electrical panel upgrade that both projects share.

BC Hydro's net metering program credits your account at 9.99¢/kWh for solar power exported to the grid. Credits offset your monthly bill through the year; on your annual anniversary date, any remaining positive credit balance is paid out in cash. Because BC's residential rate is tiered (Step 2 at ~15.8¢/kWh above 675 kWh/month), self-consuming solar is worth more than exporting — batteries can shift the economics.