FortisBC Connect to Gas: natural gas boiler and combination boiler rebates

The Connect to Gas program is FortisBC's incentive for homes that bring in a new natural gas service and convert their primary space heating from oil or propane. A boiler is named directly in the program: an eligible ENERGY STAR natural gas furnace or boiler pays $2,000 plus a $1,000 bonus, and an eligible ENERGY STAR combination boiler system pays $2,800 plus a $1,000 bonus. A P9 certified combination heating and hot water system also pays $2,800 plus the $1,000 bonus. The page summarises the top end of the offer as a rebate of up to $3,800 ($2,800 rebate + $1,000 bonus).

Two add-ons sit on top of the space heating rebate. Installing an eligible natural gas water heater in addition to an eligible furnace or boiler adds up to $800, and installing an eligible natural gas fireplace alongside an eligible furnace, boiler or combination system adds $250. Only one Connect to Gas rebate is available per appliance or system.

The program is for new gas customers in existing homes only, and it is not available for new construction. To qualify, the customer must have requested a new FortisBC gas service line and entered an agreement for gas service with FortisBC within six months prior to installing the eligible upgrades. In practice that means the home was previously heated with oil or propane and is now converting its primary heating source to natural gas, which is exactly the situation a boiler conversion project addresses.

Because the rebate is tied to the conversion, the property and the account matter. Applicants must meet every eligibility requirement before purchasing equipment; FortisBC states it is not responsible for costs incurred if the customer fails to meet the eligibility criteria or comply with the terms and conditions. The installation itself must be permitted and completed by a gas contractor licensed with Technical Safety BC, and the work must be finished within the program deadlines for the bonus portion.

The $1,000 bonus is time-limited. To qualify, the customer must receive a pre-qualification code before December 31, 2026, and the code must be obtained before installing the upgrades. FortisBC notes the bonus rebate will be terminated once all available pre-qualification codes have been issued, so the offer can end earlier than the calendar deadline. The installation must be completed and carry a paid invoice dated before March 31, 2027 to qualify for the $1,000 bonus.

The rebate application itself must be submitted within 90 days of the paid invoice date, or by June 30, 2027, whichever comes first. Applications may take up to 90 days to process. The application link on the FortisBC page takes customers to their Account Online login, and FortisBC recommends Google Chrome for the application.

The application requires a copy of the paid invoice showing details of all work performed, including the purchase date, the make and model number, the installation permit number and the gas contractor's Technical Safety BC licence number. If the applicant is not the gas utility account holder, a Utility Account Holder Consent form completed and signed by the account holder must be included.

The pre-qualification code for the bonus must be obtained before the application is submitted, and the terms and conditions of the offer should be reviewed before any equipment is purchased. Because the boiler, combination system and water heater must all be on FortisBC's eligible equipment lists, keeping the make and model documentation from the quote and invoice is what makes the application straightforward.

For a Greater Vancouver home that currently heats with oil or propane, a boiler conversion to natural gas is more than an appliance swap. It involves a new or upgraded gas service and meter, a gas line to the boiler, new venting for a condensing appliance, condensate management and often changes to the hydronic loop and controls. The Connect to Gas rebate is applied against that project, with the combination boiler option paying the highest amount because it also takes over domestic hot water.

As part of a replacement through Boilers.ca, ROMA Heating & Cooling documents the existing system, the new equipment and the permit details that the rebate application asks for, so the invoice and model information are ready when the application is submitted. Eligibility and the final amount are confirmed at quote time, because the program rules and the bonus funding can change.

Confirm the equipment is on the eligible list before purchase, confirm the pre-qualification code is in hand, and confirm the timing works: the six-month window for the gas service agreement, the December 31, 2026 code deadline and the March 31, 2027 installation deadline all run on different clocks. The offer is subject to change, and the bonus is limited by available codes.

Homeowners should also understand what the program is not. Connect to Gas rewards a conversion to natural gas, not a like-for-like replacement of an existing natural gas boiler. A home that is already heated with natural gas and simply replaces its boiler does not qualify for this program, even though the installation work is similar.