Canada does not have one heating market. It has at least five, shaped by which fuel is cheap and available, how cold it gets, and who sets the rates. A strategy that works for a gas furnace company in Edmonton will mislead customers in Charlottetown. This hub groups the provinces and territories by region and links to a page for each. All fuel shares below are from Statistics Canada's household survey for 2023, as a percentage of all households.
- YTYukon
- NTNorthwest Territories
- NUNunavut
- NLNewfoundland and Labrador
- BCBritish Columbia
- ABAlberta
- SKSaskatchewan
- MBManitoba
- ONOntario
- QCQuebec
- PEPrince Edward Island
- NBNew Brunswick
- NSNova Scotia
West Coast: British Columbia
The short answer: a near-even split between gas and electricity, and two climates in one province.
In BC, 42% of households heat primarily with natural gas and 36% with electricity. The mild coast and the cold Interior need separate plans. FortisBC gas bills rose about 11% in January 2026, and the CleanBC Better Homes rebate rules tightened in July 2026.
The Prairies: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
The short answer: gas country, with long cold winters, except that Manitoba has a large electric-heat share.
| Province | Natural gas | Electricity | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 76% | 14% | Monthly default gas rates; electricity Rate of Last Resort fixed to end of 2026 |
| Saskatchewan | 75% | 16% | SaskEnergy rebate for high-efficiency gas equipment |
| Manitoba | 52% | 33% | Manitoba Hydro's 4.0% interim increase; Efficiency Manitoba heat pump rebates |
Central Canada: Ontario and Quebec
The short answer: Ontario is mostly gas on a quarterly price calendar; Quebec is mostly electric with rates now set to 2028.
Ontario's mix is 58% gas, 18% electricity and 4% propane, and Enbridge Gas prices change every quarter through the Ontario Energy Board. Quebec heats 70% of homes with electricity; the Régie de l'énergie has set Hydro-Québec residential increases at 3.0%, 3.0% and 2.6% for 2026 to 2028, and French is the required language of marketing.
Atlantic Canada: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador
The short answer: electricity, heat pumps and oil, with oil prices the biggest story of 2026.
| Province | Electricity | Oil | Heat pump as primary system |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick | 39% | not in our data summary | 27% |
| Nova Scotia | 29% | 28% | 25% |
| Prince Edward Island | 18% | 28% | 36% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 64% | 13% | not in our data summary |
Statistics Canada's September 2026 CPI showed fuel oil and other fuels up 57.8% year over year, felt most in this region. Utility boards approved electricity increases for NB Power and Nova Scotia Power, and several oil-to-heat-pump programs closed during 2026.
The North: Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
The short answer: the longest heating seasons in the country, small markets, and different rules in each territory.
Heating is needed for most of the year north of 60, and reliability matters more than marginal savings. The Statistics Canada table does not cover the territories. The NWT's Arctic Energy Alliance runs rebates that exclude fossil-fuel systems, Yukon runs its own energy rebates, and we verified no current territorial heating rebate in Nunavut.
How we use the regional picture
The short answer: we start every client plan from their province's fuel mix and rate calendar.
- Which homes does a change touch? An oil price spike matters in Charlottetown; a Hydro-Québec tier change matters in Laval.
- What programs are open now? We check each administrator before any campaign mentions an amount.
- When do people search? We plan around cold weather and scheduled decisions, such as Ontario's quarterly gas adjustments.
The fuel shares above are percentages of all households, so they do not always add up to 100.
Our newsroom reports the decisions behind these pages, and our services explain how we turn them into marketing for heating contractors. We are a marketing and consulting team, not a contractor, and we work with heating companies in every region. Call, text or email to talk about yours.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with heating contractors everywhere in Canada?
Yes, in all 10 provinces and 3 territories. We consult by video call or in person, as well as by phone, text and email.
Where do your provincial heating figures come from?
Fuel shares come from Statistics Canada Table 38-10-0286-01, for the 2023 reference year. Shares are a percentage of all households, so they do not always add to 100. The table does not cover the territories.
How current are the program lists?
Each region page lists programs as of October 2026, with links to the administrator. Programs change often; always confirm with the administrator before advertising.