Rebates and incentives, Atlantic Canada
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador each tell a different story in 2026: closed rebates, a paused program, a pending rate cut, and strong net metering where it still holds. See your real numbers.
How it works
Step 1
NS SolarHomes is closed to homeowners, PEI's rebate is paused, NB's THESP is open with a January 2027 deadline, and NL has no residential rebate at all. Check the rebate deadline tracker for current windows.
Step 2
NB Power's proposed rate cut is under regulatory review as of this writing, and being approved before any change takes effect appears likely to matter for which rate structure applies to you long-term.
Step 3
Nova Scotia pays out year-end surplus at retail; Newfoundland and Labrador settles it at a lower rate. Use the performance-based incentive calculator to see how this affects your ideal system size.
The SolarHomes program, which previously paid $0.30 per watt up to $3,000 for residential solar, closed to new residential applicants on April 17, 2025, with a final homeowner completion deadline of March 31, 2026. Registered non-profits and charities could still apply as of this writing, but individual homeowners cannot access this rebate any longer, regardless of what an older or unmaintained guide might suggest. What remains is genuinely strong: Nova Scotia Power's net metering program is widely described as one of the best in Canada, crediting exported solar at the full retail rate, reported around 18.5 to 19.1 cents per kWh as electricity prices have risen through 2026, with a notable feature that year-end surplus credits are paid out at the retail rate rather than forfeited, a payout structure that's rare among Canadian utilities. Halifax residents can also access PACE financing through the Solar City program, offering a fixed rate around 4.75% over 10 years with no upfront cost, tied to the property rather than the individual.
New Brunswick's Total Home Energy Savings Program pays roughly $200 per kW of installed solar, up to a maximum of $3,000, for systems between 1 kW and a 15 kW calculation cap, with installations and final paperwork due by January 31, 2027. This rebate does not protect your net metering rate, and clearing net metering's grandfathering window doesn't get you the rebate either; the two programs have independent requirements. The more significant development is on the net metering side itself: NB Power filed a proposal with New Brunswick's Energy and Utilities Board that would replace 1-to-1 retail-rate net metering with a lower avoided-cost export credit around 6.77 cents per kWh, plus a new monthly demand charge. As of this writing, this proposal was under regulatory review rather than finalized. Sources disagree on the exact grandfathering term: NB Power's own summary of the filing describes existing and soon-to-be-approved participants keeping current rules for up to 10 years, while some industry coverage of the same filing cites a fixed cutoff around 2037 tied to specific 2026 and 2027 application and inspection deadlines. Confirm the current terms directly with NB Power before assuming either figure applies to your specific timeline. If you're in New Brunswick and considering solar, getting your net metering application approved sooner rather than later appears to genuinely matter given this pending change.
PEI's Solar Electric Rebate Program has historically been one of Canada's more generous provincial rebates, paying $1,000 per kW DC installed for residential systems, capped at $10,000. As of an April 2026 program update from a detailed, recently reviewed source, this program was paused to new applications. Homeowners who received pre-approval before the pause can still proceed with installation and submit for reimbursement, but new applicants were not being accepted as of this writing. Given this is a genuinely fast-moving situation, and given that at least one other source describes the rebate as if it were still actively accepting new applicants, confirm current status directly with EfficiencyPEI before building this rebate into your project budget. Net metering remains available through Maritime Electric and Summerside Electric for systems up to 100 kW, with credits generally crediting at 1:1 and resetting December 31 with no cash payout for unused annual credits.
No residential-specific provincial solar rebate currently exists in Newfoundland and Labrador. Both Newfoundland Power and NL Hydro offer net metering for systems up to 100 kW, and here's the nuance worth getting right: production is credited against consumption monthly during the year on a 1:1 basis, but any surplus remaining once the year closes out is generally settled at a lower rate, described across sources as either an avoided-cost rate or a wholesale purchase rate, rather than the full retail rate that applies to your regular monthly netting. In practical terms, this rewards a system sized to closely match your own annual consumption pattern, since monthly self-consumption captures full retail value while genuine annual surplus is worth meaningfully less. Combined with some of the lowest electricity rates in Canada, this structure tends to produce a longer payback period in Newfoundland and Labrador than in neighboring Atlantic provinces, even though the underlying net metering mechanics during the year are favorable. Use the rebate application cost-benefit calculator to weigh your options either way. Compare your overall picture against another Canadian province with the Ontario incentive estimator or the Quebec incentive estimator.
Your rebate total changes what a loan costs each month, and the combined loan and rebate timing tool shows that payment once you enter both figures.
Questions
No, not for homeowners. The SolarHomes program, which previously paid $0.30 per watt up to $3,000 for residential solar, closed to new residential applicants on April 17, 2025, with a final homeowner completion deadline of March 31, 2026. Registered non-profits and charities could still apply as of this writing, but individual homeowners cannot. What remains for Nova Scotia homeowners is Nova Scotia Power's net metering program, widely cited as one of the strongest in Canada, crediting exports at the full retail rate around 18.5 to 19.1 cents per kWh, plus PACE financing in participating municipalities like Halifax.
Possibly, and this is worth tracking closely if you're in New Brunswick. NB Power filed a proposal with the province's Energy and Utilities Board that would replace 1-to-1 retail-rate net metering with a lower avoided-cost export credit around 6.77 cents per kWh, plus a new monthly demand charge. As of this writing, this proposal was under regulatory review rather than finalized. Sources disagree on the exact grandfathering term: NB Power's own summary of the filing describes up to 10 years of continued current rules for existing and soon-to-be-approved participants, while some industry coverage cites a fixed cutoff around 2037 tied to specific 2026 and 2027 deadlines. Confirm the current terms directly with NB Power rather than assuming either figure applies to you. If you're considering solar in New Brunswick, getting your net metering application approved before any change takes effect is worth prioritizing.
As of an April 2026 program update, it was paused to new applications. Historically, PEI's Solar Electric Rebate Program was one of Canada's more generous, paying $1,000 per kW DC installed for residential systems, capped at $10,000. Homeowners who received pre-approval before the pause can still proceed with installation and submit for reimbursement, but new applicants were not being accepted as of this writing. Confirm current status directly with EfficiencyPEI before assuming this rebate is available to you, since program status can change.
No residential-specific solar rebate currently exists in Newfoundland and Labrador. Both Newfoundland Power and NL Hydro offer net metering for systems up to 100 kW, crediting your production against your consumption monthly during the year on a 1:1 basis. Where sources differ is what happens to any surplus remaining at year's end: this is generally settled at a lower rate, described variously as an avoided-cost or wholesale purchase rate, rather than the full retail rate you'd get from month-to-month netting. Combined with some of the lowest electricity rates in Canada, this tends to make Newfoundland and Labrador's solar payback longer than in neighboring provinces.