Nova Scotia opens applications for annual heating assistance rebate program

HALIFAX, N.S. — Nova Scotia has opened applications for the annual Heating Assistance Rebate Program (HARP), offering residents up to $600 to help with the rising cost of home heating.

The rebate program is extended to families with an income of up to $75,000 and single-income households earning up to $55,000, whether they rent or own. To be eligible, people must pay for their own heating, whether the source is oil, electricity, coal, wood, wood pellets, propane or natural gas.

Since its inception in 2009, HARP has provided rebates of up to $200 to single-income households earning $29,000 and families with an income of $44,000.

Last year, the rebate temporarily increased to $1,000, resulting in 155,800 applicants at a total cost of nearly $156 million.

More information, including how to apply, is available online.

Application forms are also available at Access Nova Scotia and MLA offices.

The deadline for applications is March 31, 2024.

Applicants for the HARP rebate may also find themselves eligible for the newly expanded $750 seniors care grant, the property tax rebate for seniors, and the home energy assistance top-up fund, which is administered by The Salvation Army.

Additionally, they may benefit from the Your Energy Rebate Program, which will provide Nova Scotians with a total of $131.2 million in rebates this year.