HeatingNews.ca reports what changed in Canada's heating markets and where: a utility board's rate decision in Fredericton, a gas price adjustment in Toronto, a three-year rate order in Montréal, a monthly default rate in Calgary. We summarise the official document in our own words, link it, date it, and then add a short section of analysis for heating contractors, clearly marked as such.
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Fuel oil prices climb 57.8% in a year, Statistics Canada's September CPI shows
Statistics Canada reported on October 19, 2026 that the price index for fuel oil and other fuels rose 57.8% year over year in September, after a 43.7% rise in August. The agency noted the impact is greater in Atlantic Canada, where more homes burn oil.
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Alberta's default natural gas rate rises to $1.458 per GJ for October 2026
Direct Energy Regulated Services announced on September 30, 2026 that its default natural gas rate for October is $1.458 per gigajoule in the ATCO Gas North and South territories, up $0.334 from September. Typical October bills were estimated at about $101 in the north and $88 in the south.
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New Brunswick board publishes reasons for 4.29% NB Power rate increase
The New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board released its written reasons on August 26, 2026 for NB Power's 2026/27 rates: a uniform 4.29% increase across all rate classes, lower than the 4.75% requested. The new rates took effect April 14, 2026, and the Board refused to let NB Power recover the two-week gap through a rider.
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Ontario Energy Board approves higher Enbridge Gas prices from July 1, 2026
On June 23, 2026 the Ontario Energy Board approved interim natural gas prices for Enbridge Gas effective July 1. Typical residential bills rise between $7.50 and $41.24 a year depending on rate zone, mainly to recover supply costs from a winter that ran 10% colder than normal.
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Nova Scotia Energy Board approves Nova Scotia Power's 2026 and 2027 rates, with adjustments
The Nova Scotia Energy Board issued its decision on Nova Scotia Power's 2026 general rate application on March 25, 2026. It approved increases for 2026 and 2027 but ordered cost reductions, so residential increases are expected to come in slightly below the 3.8% and 4.1% the utility proposed.
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Régie de l'énergie sets Hydro-Québec rate increases for 2026, 2027 and 2028
In decision D-2026-033, announced March 16, 2026, the Régie de l'énergie put the overall increase at 3.2% on average across Hydro-Québec's customers for each year of a three-year rate cycle. Residential rates rise 3.0% from April 1, 2026, within a government cap, with a larger increase on the second energy tier.
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Public Utilities Board approves 4.0% interim Manitoba Hydro rate increase for 2026
Manitoba's Public Utilities Board issued Order 161/25 on December 30, 2025, approving a 4.0% general rate increase for Manitoba Hydro effective January 1, 2026 on an interim basis. Manitoba Hydro had applied for 3.5% a year for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
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FortisBC gas bills rise about 11% from January 1, 2026 after BCUC approval
FortisBC Energy Inc. announced on December 9, 2025 that the British Columbia Utilities Commission had approved a gas rate increase starting January 1, 2026. The average residential bill rises about 11.1%, or $10.95 a month, with Fort Nelson customers at about 11.5%.
Current stories
The short answer: eight sourced reports: seven provincial stories and one national data release.
Atlantic Canada
- Fuel oil prices up 57.8% in a year (Statistics Canada, October 19, 2026): the September CPI shows the steepest energy increase in heating oil, felt most in the Maritimes and Newfoundland.
- New Brunswick board explains 4.29% NB Power increase (NB Energy and Utilities Board, August 26, 2026): written reasons for an increase below the 4.75% requested, and a refused rate rider.
- Nova Scotia Power's 2026 and 2027 rates approved with adjustments (Nova Scotia Energy Board, March 25, 2026): cost cuts, a 9% equity return kept, and coal-plant securitization still unresolved.
Central Canada
- Enbridge Gas prices rise from July 1, 2026 (Ontario Energy Board, June 23, 2026): a cold winter's costs recovered through the quarterly adjustment.
- Hydro-Québec rates set for 2026 to 2028 (Régie de l'énergie, March 16, 2026): 3.0% for homes in 2026 and 2027, 2.6% in 2028.
The Prairies and the West
- Manitoba Hydro's 4.0% interim increase (Public Utilities Board Order 161/25, December 30, 2025): half a point above what the utility asked for.
- Alberta's October 2026 default gas rate (Direct Energy Regulated Services, September 30, 2026): $1.458 per GJ, and why the commodity is a small part of the bill.
- FortisBC gas bills up about 11% from January 2026 (FortisBC, December 9, 2025): BCUC-approved increases tied to system upgrades.
How we report
The short answer: primary sources only, the source's date on every story, and analysis kept separate.
- We load the source ourselves. Regulator decisions, utility releases, provincial program pages and Statistics Canada releases. If we cannot open and read a document, we do not report on it.
- We keep the source's date. The published date on a story is the date of the decision or release, not the day we wrote it up.
- We separate facts from analysis. The opening sections report what the document says. A section headed "Analysis" gives our view for contractors, and is labelled every time.
- We do not fill gaps. Where a document leaves something open, such as an effective date still to be set, we say so instead of guessing.
- We update when the record changes. When a regulator issues a follow-up order that we have reviewed, we revise the story and its "last updated" date.
Reading a rate story as a contractor
The short answer: ask three questions before you change any marketing.
- Which customers does it touch? An electricity increase matters most to electrically heated homes; a gas commodity change matters to gas customers. Our provincial pages, starting with Ontario and Nova Scotia, show each province's heating mix from Statistics Canada.
- Is it final? Many decisions are interim, or leave dates to a later order. Describe them that way.
- Is it big enough to change a decision? A few dollars a month rarely justifies replacing working equipment. Large, sustained moves, such as this year's heating oil prices, can.
Where the news meets your marketing
The short answer: rate and program changes are moments when homeowners look for answers, and contractors who explain them clearly earn the call.
HeatingNews.ca belongs to the HVAC.Agency family and is run by a marketing team, not a heating contractor: we do not install, repair or service any equipment. If you want stories like these turned into pages and campaigns for your own service area, see our services, especially rate-change explainer pages, or read about us. Call, text or email to talk it through.
Frequently asked questions
What does HeatingNews.ca cover?
Provincial heating market news for contractors: utility rate decisions by regulators such as the OEB, BCUC, Régie de l'énergie and provincial utility boards, energy price data from Statistics Canada, and provincial program and rule changes.
Why are some stories dated 2025?
Each story carries the date of its source document. A rate approved in December 2025 that took effect on January 1, 2026 keeps its December date so you can judge how current it is.
Is the analysis section advice?
No. It is our view of what a development means for the marketing and planning of a heating business. Questions about rates, eligibility or compliance belong with the regulator, utility or program administrator.
How do you choose which provinces to cover?
We spread coverage across the country and pick items with a clear effect on heating customers' bills or buying decisions. Each story names its province in the headline or summary.