Hydro-Québec offers a special bonus for multi-unit buildings to facilitate access to efficient heat pumps in certain rental buildings located in energy poverty zones. This targeted measure, funded under the Quebec government's 2030 Green Economy Plan, aims to reduce the financial barrier that installing wall-mounted heat pumps in multiple units of the same building can represent.
The bonus also takes into account a reality specific to the rental market: the owner must pay for the purchase and installation of the equipment, while each tenant pays their own electricity bill. The additional financial aid is therefore intended to encourage the owner to make an energy improvement that the occupants can directly benefit from.
A measure aimed at improving access to heat pumps in more vulnerable areas
The Multi-unit bonus is not a general grant offered to all apartment buildings. It targets buildings located in energy poverty zones designated by Hydro-Québec, determined notably based on postal codes.
Energy poverty refers to a situation where the expenses necessary to heat and power a dwelling can represent a significant burden for households. By encouraging the installation of efficient heat pumps in the targeted buildings, the measure seeks to make this technology more accessible in areas where needs are considered a priority.
A wall-mounted heat pump certified for cold climates can help heat a dwelling more efficiently than a conventional electric system, depending on the building’s configuration and the use of the device. The bonus thus supports a concrete energy efficiency intervention in the targeted rental units.
Bridging the gap between the owner’s investment and the tenant’s savings
In a multi-unit building where each unit has its own meter, the tenant is generally responsible for their consumption and electricity bill. However, it is usually not the tenant who decides to install a permanent heat pump in the dwelling.
This responsibility falls to the owner, who must notably:
- purchase the equipment;
- pay for the installation work;
- organize the project for one or more units;
- assume the initial costs before receiving the applicable financial aid.
The potential energy savings, on the other hand, mainly benefit tenants who pay their own electricity. The owner therefore incurs the expense but does not necessarily directly recover the savings made on energy bills.
The special bonus reduces this economic gap. It increases the aid granted to the owner to make the investment more feasible, while allowing tenants to have access to more efficient heating and cooling equipment.
Why does the bonus have such targeted criteria?
Hydro-Québec and the Quebec government have chosen to focus the additional aid on buildings with certain characteristics directly related to the measure’s objective.
In addition to being located in an energy poverty zone, the multi-unit building must notably have been built in 1995 or earlier, have a property value per unit below the median of its administrative region, be primarily heated with electricity, and have a separate electric meter for each unit.
These conditions allow the bonus to be directed towards older buildings of relatively modest value, where tenants individually bear their electricity costs. They do not mean that all such buildings will automatically be eligible: all official requirements must be met and Hydro-Québec remains responsible for the final decision.
A bonus that also supports Quebec’s energy goals
The measure is part of a broader objective of wise use of collective energy resources. By promoting the installation of efficient heat pumps in targeted multi-unit buildings, Hydro-Québec seeks to encourage systems capable of providing more heat for a given amount of electricity.
This intervention is particularly relevant in the rental sector, where a single project can improve the energy efficiency of multiple units. When an owner equips several units, the potential effects go beyond a single residence and can benefit several households.
The bonus is therefore not simply intended to increase an existing subsidy. It serves to make possible projects that might otherwise be postponed or abandoned due to their initial cost, especially when multiple units need to be equipped.
What AirGreen can verify for a multi-unit building owner
Before planning the installation, we can verify the technical elements directly related to the project: the number of units to equip, the type of existing heating, the meter configuration, and the possibility of installing wall-mounted heat pumps suitable for the building.
We can also help the owner select a combination of equipment that complies with the program’s technical requirements. However, the final confirmation of the building’s eligibility and the bonus remains Hydro-Québec’s responsibility.
In summary, Hydro-Québec offers this bonus to accelerate the installation of efficient heat pumps in rental buildings located in more vulnerable areas, while partially compensating the owner who finances equipment whose electricity savings will mainly benefit the tenants.
To have a heat pump project evaluated in a multi-unit building, contact AirGreen so that we can verify the building’s configuration and possible HVAC solutions.