Commercial Lighting Rebates and Utility Incentives by Program
Commercial lighting rebates change by utility, by facility size, and sometimes by postal code, and the rules that decide whether you get paid are rarely about the fixtures. They are about contractor status, pre-approval, product lists, and deadlines. This page compares the major lighting incentive programs across Canada and the US from the perspective of the person writing the quote. Each program below links to a full contractor guide covering eligibility, incentive rates, what must be confirmed before you put a number in a proposal, and the dates that decide whether a project qualifies this year or not at all.
Program details last verified: July 11, 2026.
Lighting rebate programs at a glance
Save on Energy, Ontario: Instant Discounts plus Retrofit Custom, no specific contractor requirement, rates changed June 30, 2026. BC Hydro, British Columbia: BESI for facilities under 500 megawatt-hours and Self-Serve for facilities over that, requires Alliance of Energy Professionals membership, the 30% bonus window closed February 12, 2026. Con Edison, NYC and Westchester: Instant Lighting plus a C&I program, requires approved Participating Contractor status, must complete by October 15, 2026 for 2026 rates. National Grid, Massachusetts: Mass Save C&I plus Instant, DLC products and pre-approval required, large commercial and industrial customers get no incentive without controls. National Grid, Upstate New York: Large C&I plus On The Spot, qualified products list required, a 25% lighting bonus is currently live.
A note on New York
Con Edison serves NYC and Westchester. National Grid serves Upstate New York. They are different utilities running different programs.
The four things that decide whether you get paid
Contractor status, since some utilities require specific credentials or approved contractor status. Pre-approval, since work started before approval is usually work with no rebate. Product eligibility, since a fixture must be DLC or ENERGY STAR listed and on the program's qualified product list. Timing, since programs update semi-annually and deadlines are real.
Instant discounts vs application-based rebates
Instant or midstream incentives are applied at the distributor with no application and a lower ceiling. Application-based rebates require pre-approval, pay more, and involve more paperwork. These usually do not stack, and picking the wrong path can cost a customer more than the discount saved.
Controls are becoming mandatory, not optional
Massachusetts offers no incentive for uncontrolled fixtures for large commercial and industrial customers. Ontario cut its networked lighting controls incentive to $0.30 per kWh. National Grid in New York treats controls as adding to total incentive. Fixture-only retrofits are earning less across a growing number of programs.
How to show a rebate in a proposal without overpromising
Label every rebate figure as estimated, pending approval, or confirmed. Con Edison states incentives are first come, first served and not guaranteed until a Preliminary Incentive Offer Letter is issued.
Frequently asked questions
What lighting rebates are available for commercial buildings?
It depends on the utility, covering Ontario, British Columbia, NYC and Westchester, Massachusetts, and Upstate New York in this comparison.
Do I need to be an approved contractor to claim lighting rebates?
Depends on the program. BC Hydro and Con Edison both require specific contractor status.
Can I combine instant discounts with an application-based rebate?
Usually no, since most programs block stacking an instant incentive with a downstream application-based rebate on the same equipment.
Do LED fixtures need controls to qualify for rebates?
Increasingly yes in some programs, most notably Massachusetts for large commercial and industrial customers.
Can I show the rebate amount in my customer's proposal?
Yes, labeled as estimated, pending approval, or confirmed, never as a flat guarantee.