Community Wood Smoke Reduction Program

BC Lung and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy collaborate provincially to oversee the Community Wood Smoke Reduction Program (CWSRP) in British Columbia. The program is designed to provide incentives to change out older, smoky wood stoves for cleaner heating options including heat pumps, pellet stoves and new, EPA or CSA certified, cleaner-burning wood stoves. The program is designed also to raise awareness about good burning practices and educate the public about wood smoke and its effects on human health.

PGAIR administers the program for Prince George and the rural areas of the Regional District of Fraser Fort George. We offer rebates to promote exchanges, as well as education to support residents to operate wood burning appliances safely and efficiently.

The CWSRP has operated in the Prince George airshed since 2008, exchanging over 450 old stoves, and removing an estimated 42 tonnes of particulate matter (PM) emissions from the airshed each year!

2025 Program Overview

The program operates year round, however, exchanges are tracked within the calendar year (January to December) as rebate incentives may be updated in January of each year. Eligible residents of Prince George or the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George (unincorporated areas only) who exchange their old smoky wood stove can receive rebates of:

$850 for a new, emission-certified wood stove
$1,250 for a qualifying pellet appliance
$1,750 for an electric heat pump (must meet criteria for BC Home Renovation Rebate and Efficiency BC Program)
$300 for simply removing and decommissioning your old, smoky, non-emissions certified wood stove with no exchange

Incentives are available on a first-come, first-served basis while funding lasts.

Please note that residents from Mackenzie, McBride, and Valemount are not eligible. The Village of Valemount has its own Wood Stove Exchange program. Mackenzie and McBride do not have any such programs. If you live within the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and outside of these municipal boundaries, you are likely eligible.

Please also note that in keeping with the Clean BC Roadmap to 2030, fossil fuel-fired appliances are no longer supported by the program.

Indigenous Community Incentives

Those eligible for the Clean BC Indigenous Community Heat Pump Incentive are also welcome to apply for the Community Wood Smoke Reduction Program. If all application requirements are met, folks will be able to claim both incentives!

Under the CWSRP, Indigenous communities can exchange an old smoky wood stove to:

$1,200 – EPA or CSA-certified wood stove
$2,000 – Pellet stove
$3,000 – Heat pump

Bounties for Removing Old Wood Appliances (No Exchange)

The CWSRP provides a $300 incentive for applicants to remove existing non-EPA or CSA certified wood appliances without committing to a new heating appliance. The incentive is per stove and limited to one stove per household. The removed wood appliance must be demolished or disabled to claim the incentive. Declaration forms are available in the Program Documents section below.

Other Rebate Programs

Don’t have a wood stove or appliance to exchange? Check out these other rebate programs designed to make your home more efficient:

How to Apply

Step 1: Read the 2025 Terms and Conditions (PDF) to determine if you are eligible for the program. Make sure you have all the required documentation as per the checklist at the bottom of the terms and conditions form.
Step 2: Contact us at info@pgairquality.com and provide your physical address to secure your application tracking number and expiry date.
Step 3: Complete the 2025 Online Application Form and Survey.
Step 4: Purchase and install your new appliance from an approved retailer.
Step 5: Receive your rebate in the mail (if all requirements are met).

2025 Online Application Form and Survey

Survey Requirement: The survey is a mandatory requirement for each CWSRP applicant. Responses are used to track and report out on the program provincially. Your responses will be summarized and anonymized. No personal or identifying information will be retained.

Permits

Participants of the 2025 Community Wood Smoke Reduction Program need to show proof that they have obtained any applicable permits for the installation of their new appliance. Speak to your installer, City of Prince George, or Regional District office for information on solid fuel permits. For electric appliance permits, contact your installer.

You should also contact your home insurance provider prior to installing a new wood-burning appliance, to ask if they have any additional requirements (such as a WETT inspection) and if you can save on home insurance (by qualifying as a secondary heat source).

Qualifying Original Appliances

The following original appliances qualify for exchange under this program:

A free-standing non-EPA certified “stove” or a “homemade” or “barrel” stove
A so-called “airtight” non-EPA certified fireplace insert or tube type heat exchanger with a face plate and door (like the “Free Heat Machine” or Welenco or Heatalator) that is currently installed in an open-hearth fireplace
A non-EPA certified “wood furnace” (ducted, forced air, home heating appliance) – may be replaced by an EPA certified wood furnace or pellet furnace
A wood-burning cook stove
An outdoor wood boiler/hydronic heater

Note: As of January 2023, under the CleanBC initiative and emissions reductions goals for BC, natural gas and propane appliances no longer qualify for rebates under the CWSRP.

Qualifying Replacement Appliances

The following new appliances qualify to replace the non-EPA appliances:

A high-efficiency pellet stove, an electric stove, or an EPA certified clean burning wood stove
A high-efficiency pellet insert, an electric insert, or an EPA certified clean burning wood insert
An EPA certified factory-built fireplace – may only be accepted if it is replacing a non-EPA certified wood stove or insert (not an existing factory-built fireplace)
An electric heat pump that meets the criteria for BC Home Renovation Rebate and Efficiency BC Program

Non-Qualifying Replacements

The following appliances do not qualify for exchange under this program (program funding will not be provided to install these appliances):

A new insert to an existing open-hearth fireplace that does not currently have an insert installed in it; an exchange of an existing wood appliance must take place
Factory built (“zero clearance”) fireplaces
Wood cook stoves (EPA exempt, not covered by this program – may be replaced by an EPA certified stove or other non-cooking product)
Tin heaters/tent stoves (not used in a residential application)
Natural gas or propane insert appliance

Destroying Your Old Appliance

The program is intended to reduce air emissions, therefore the appliance for which you are receiving a rebate must be rendered useless and not be allowed to continue to put emissions into the air. You or your contractor are responsible for ensuring that the old appliance can no longer be used or sold again. You must show proof that the appliance has been rendered unusable or crushed at a scrap metal facility (photo or signed declaration from facility attendant).

A receipt from the scrap metal facility will not be accepted as proof that the stove has been destroyed. You can make the stove unusable yourself, by removing the doors, breaking the glass, damaging the hinges with a hammer, and bashing in the flue collar (take photo).

Download and print a template Recycling Declaration Form (PDF) for scrap metal facilities to use.

Wood Smoke Education Online Course

The Wood Smoke Education Online Course is an interactive learning tool designed to teach the owners and operators of wood stoves how to burn cleanly and efficiently and explain the benefits of doing so. The course is made up of 5 modules and should take participants from 40 minutes to an hour to complete. When you have completed all 5 modules, follow the procedures to get your certificate.

Program Documents

List of Local Retailers

Visit any licensed BC retail store to purchase your new appliance.

Fraser Plumbing and Heating – 250-562-6777 / 430 3rd Avenue
Tropical Pool and Spa – 250-564-5690 / 1701 West Central Street
Dale’s Wood & Gas Heat – 250-562-8366 / 1701B West Central Street
Mainline Plumbing and Heating – 250-564-9808 / 3658 Opie Crescent
Decked Out Home & Patio – 250-960-4220 / 3900 Walls Ave
Rona – 250-562-1125 / 4150 Cowart Road
Northern Outdoor – 250-560-5771
Robson Valley Home Hardware (McBride) – 250-569-2284 / 256 Main Street McBride
HVAC Strong Mechanical Ltd – (778) 999-5815 / 4780 Wood Place (Also a Certified Heat Pump Installer)

*Some retailers may be missing from this list. PGAIR cannot guarantee retailers offer all appliance types. Retailers may request to be added to this list by contacting PGAIR.

Contact

Do you have questions? Please feel free to contact us at any time:
Email: info@pgairquality.com

Program Supported By

BC Lung | Regional District of Fraser-Fort George | Province of British Columbia | City of Prince George