Quick answer: heat pump cost in Ottawa
Heat pump cost in Ottawa depends mostly on whether you have ducts and how much of your heating you want the heat pump to carry. Here are the typical installed ranges, in Canadian dollars, before rebates.
Ducted cold-climate heat pump (existing ducts)
$9,000 – $18,000.
Ductless mini-split, single zone
$3,500 – $6,500.
Ductless mini-split, multi-zone (2–4 heads)
$7,000 – $16,000.
Hybrid (heat pump plus gas furnace)
The ducted heat pump range if your furnace stays, plus $4,500 – $8,500 if the furnace is replaced too.
A heat pump also replaces your air conditioner.
If your AC is due anyway ($4,000 – $8,000), the real extra cost of choosing a heat pump is smaller than it looks.
Running costs
Depend on your electricity and fuel prices and on the heat pump’s efficiency. Homes on electric baseboard, oil or propane usually see the clearest savings.
Heat pump prices by system type
| System | Typical installed range (CAD) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Ducted cold-climate heat pump (with existing ducts) | $9,000 – $18,000 | Homes with a furnace and ductwork that want whole-house heating and cooling |
| Ductless mini-split, single zone | $3,500 – $6,500 | One area: a basement, addition, garage suite or a room that is always too hot or cold |
| Ductless mini-split, multi-zone (2–4 heads) | $7,000 – $16,000 | Homes without ducts, including many on electric baseboards |
| Hybrid system (heat pump + gas furnace) | Ducted heat pump range; add $4,500 – $8,500 for a new furnace | Gas homes that want lower emissions without giving up furnace heat on the coldest nights |
| For comparison: central AC replacement | $4,000 – $8,000 | Cooling only |
The final price depends on the home, the equipment, and the ductwork, electrical and mounting work required. Oria gives free estimates on new installations, so you see a price for your house rather than an average.
Ducted vs ductless vs hybrid: which one fits your home?
Ducted cold-climate heat pump
A ducted heat pump has an outdoor unit like an air conditioner and an indoor coil at the furnace or air handler. It uses your existing ducts to heat in winter and cool in summer.
Look for a model built for cold climates. These keep producing useful heat well below −20 °C, which matters with Ottawa’s design temperature of about −25 °C.
Ductless mini-split
A mini-split connects an outdoor unit to one or more wall-mounted heads through a small hole in the wall. There is no ductwork to build, which makes it the practical choice for homes on baseboard heat and for additions or basements.
Each head heats or cools its own zone. The more heads you add, the higher the cost, so a good design puts heads where they serve the most space. Our ductless mini-split cost guide breaks this down further.
Hybrid (dual-fuel) system
A hybrid system pairs a heat pump with a gas furnace. The heat pump handles most of the season, and the furnace takes over when it gets very cold or when gas becomes the cheaper fuel at that temperature.
For many Ottawa homes already on natural gas, this is the most balanced option. You get efficient heating and cooling for most of the year and familiar furnace heat during a −30 °C cold snap.
What drives the cost of a heat pump installation
Size and cold-climate rating
A heat pump in Ottawa should be sized for heating, not just cooling. Heating needs are usually larger here, so the unit is often bigger than the air conditioner it replaces, and cold-climate models with variable-speed compressors cost more than basic units.
Electrical work
A heat pump needs a dedicated circuit, and electric backup heat strips add more load. Some older homes with smaller electrical panels need panel work before installation, which adds cost.
Ductwork
Heat pumps deliver warm air at a lower temperature than a gas furnace, so they move more air for the same comfort. Undersized ducts or returns may need changes for the system to work well.
Placement and mounting
In Ottawa the outdoor unit should sit on a stand or wall bracket above the typical snow line and away from roof drip edges. Longer refrigerant line runs and wall brackets add materials and labour.
Backup heat and controls
You will need backup heat for the coldest nights: either electric heat strips or a furnace in a hybrid setup. The thermostat and controls must manage when each source runs, which our thermostat installation team sets up as part of the job.
Operating cost: heat pump vs gas furnace, in plain terms
Purchase price is only half the picture. Whether a heat pump costs less to run than gas comes down to two things: how efficiently each system turns energy into heat, and what you pay for each type of energy.
How efficiency compares
A 96% AFUE gas furnace turns 96% of the gas energy it burns into heat for your home. Electric baseboards turn 100% of their electricity into heat.
A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, so it can deliver two to four units of heat for every unit of electricity it uses. That ratio is called the coefficient of performance (COP), and it falls as the outdoor temperature drops.
How to run the numbers for your own home
- Find your price per cubic metre of gas on your Enbridge Gas bill (include delivery charges, not just the gas supply line).
- Find your all-in price per kWh on your Hydro Ottawa or Hydro One bill.
- One cubic metre of natural gas holds roughly 10.3 kWh of energy. Multiply 10.3 by your furnace’s efficiency (for example 0.96) to get the useful heat per cubic metre.
- Divide your gas price by that number. That is your cost per kWh of heat from gas.
- Divide your electricity price by the heat pump’s average COP (a reasonable seasonal figure in Ottawa is around 2 to 3). That is your cost per kWh of heat from the heat pump.
Whichever number is lower is the cheaper fuel for most of your season. Oria can walk you through this using your actual bills during an estimate.
Who usually saves the most
| Current heating | Likely effect of a heat pump on running costs |
|---|---|
| Electric baseboard | Large savings: two to three times more heat per kWh for much of the winter |
| Oil or propane (common in rural areas like Greely, Carp and Kemptville) | Often significant savings, depending on fuel prices |
| Natural gas | Closer; savings vary with rates. A hybrid system lets you use the cheaper fuel at each temperature |
| Gatineau homes on Hydro-Québec | Electricity is very inexpensive, so heat pumps usually make strong financial sense |
Don’t forget cooling. A modern heat pump replaces your central air conditioner and is usually more efficient than the older AC it replaces, so summer bills can drop too.
Rebates and financing for heat pumps
Heat pumps have been a focus of energy-efficiency programs in Ontario, including the Home Renovation Savings Program run by Enbridge Gas and the IESO. Program amounts and eligibility change, so we don’t quote figures here.
Rebates may be available, and Oria will check current programs for your home before you commit. See our HVAC rebates page for what we track.
Financing is available from $49 per month on approved credit, which can spread the cost of a ducted system over time. Details are on our financing page.
Is a heat pump worth the cost in Ottawa?
A heat pump is usually worth it if your air conditioner is due for replacement, if you heat with electricity, oil or propane, or if you want to cut your home’s emissions. It is also a strong fit for additions and basements that never heat evenly.
It is less clear-cut if you have a newer gas furnace and a newer AC that still work well. In that case, wait until the AC needs replacing and add a heat pump then as a hybrid system.
If you are unsure how heat pumps cope with our winters, read do heat pumps work in Ottawa winters.
Get a heat pump quote for your home
Oria has installed heating and cooling systems in Ottawa since 2005. Our technicians hold refrigeration and gas licences, so one team can handle the heat pump, the furnace and the controls in a hybrid system.
Book a free estimate through our heat pump installation service or call (613) 866-1869.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a heat pump cost in Ottawa?
A ducted cold-climate heat pump typically costs $9,000 to $18,000 installed in Ottawa when existing ducts can be reused. A single-zone ductless mini-split usually costs $3,500 to $6,500, and a multi-zone mini-split with 2–4 indoor heads $7,000 to $16,000. Prices are before rebates. Electrical work, ductwork changes, mounting and backup heat all affect the final quote, so a free in-home estimate is the best way to get your number.
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than a gas furnace in Ottawa?
It depends on your electricity and gas prices and on the heat pump’s efficiency. A heat pump delivers roughly two to four units of heat per unit of electricity, while a high-efficiency furnace turns about 96% of its gas into heat. For homes on natural gas the gap is often small, which is why many choose a hybrid system. Homes on electric baseboard, oil or propane usually save more clearly.
What is a hybrid heat pump system?
A hybrid, or dual-fuel, system pairs an electric heat pump with a gas furnace. The heat pump heats your home for most of the season and also provides air conditioning. When outdoor temperatures drop very low, or when gas becomes the cheaper fuel, the system switches to the furnace automatically. In Ottawa it offers efficient heating most of the year with dependable furnace heat on the coldest nights.
Do I need ductwork for a heat pump?
Not always. A ducted heat pump uses your existing furnace ducts, which is the simplest option if you already have them in good condition. A ductless mini-split needs no ducts at all: wall-mounted heads connect to an outdoor unit through a small hole in the wall. Ductless systems are common in Ottawa homes heated by electric baseboards and in basements, additions and garage suites.
Are there heat pump rebates in Ontario in 2026?
Rebates may be available. Ontario’s main efficiency program is the Home Renovation Savings Program, run by Enbridge Gas and the IESO, and heat pumps have been one of its focus areas. Amounts and eligibility rules change, so Oria checks the current programs for your specific home and equipment before you sign, and our HVAC rebates page lists the programs we track.
Will I need an electrical panel upgrade for a heat pump?
Sometimes. A heat pump needs its own circuit, and electric backup heat strips add significant load. Many Ottawa homes have enough panel capacity, but some older homes with smaller panels need upgrades first. Choosing a hybrid system with a gas furnace as backup can reduce the electrical load. Your installer should check your panel during the estimate so there are no surprises.
Related Reading
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