Quebec, Hydro-Québec invest $350M to bring heat pumps to renters

The government has a plan to help people who want to save on their heating bills by installing electric heat pumps. (Supplied)

The Quebec government and Hydro-Québec are jointly investing nearly $350 million to improve home energy efficiency, lower electricity bills and support the province’s energy transition.

The announcement was made Wednesday by Environment, Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks Minister Pascale Déry, Economy, Innovation and Energy Minister Bernard Drainville, and Hydro-Québec president and CEO Claudine Bouchard.

The funding will increase financial assistance available to eligible building owners to help offset the cost of installing heat pumps for their tenants, covering roughly 55 per cent of the purchase and installation costs.

Many Quebec tenants live in less energy-efficient housing, driving up their costs. Heat pumps can generate up to three times more heat than conventional heating systems using the same amount of energy, and could translate to annual savings of around 20 per cent — or about $250.

“With these investments, we are taking concrete steps to help tenants reduce their energy consumption and lower their electricity bills. The energy saved can be reinvested to continue our decarbonization efforts and reduce Quebec’s greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a win-win solution, both for Quebecers and for the success of our energy transition,” Déry said in a press release.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 20, 2026.