Two months ago, Southern Ontario was hit by a winter storm with record snowfall and temperatures dropping to -20°C. That same weekend, more than 1,500 people in Ontario who own a heat pump filled out a national survey. All told, 92 per cent of them said they would recommend a heat pump to their neighbours and that they were very or somewhat happy with their device. 

Clean Energy Canada and energy services company Summerhill have now published the results of that survey, which ran from November until February of this year and received a total of 3,800 responses across all provinces. What we found in snowy Ontario was true across regions, genders, ages and incomes. Most people love their heat pumps.

Heat pumps have existed for decades, but their adoption has really picked up steam in recent years. New models suitable for cold climates or homes without central duct systems are making the technology more accessible, while government programs have helped cut upfront costs. Across the country, the uptake of heat pumps has tripled over the last decade. In Atlantic Canada, as many as one in three households now have a heat pump installed. It’s high time, then, to take the temperature of people's experiences.

We found that Canadians purchased heat pumps for a variety of reasons. The largest group (44 per cent) were people who installed a heat pump to replace or supplement a fossil fuel heating system, but another 30 per cent installed a heat pump to replace their old central air conditioning system or to install air conditioning for the first time. Whether heating or cooling was what they were looking for, heat pump owners get both. 

The top three reasons people chose a heat pump were lower energy bills (40 per cent), air conditioning or other comfort benefits (26 per cent), or the fact that heat pumps are better for the environment (18 per cent). Most experienced the benefits they were hoping for, if not more. More than half said their monthly energy bills were lower after installing a heat pump, including a large majority of those who previously had an electric heating system or oil furnace. More than half also said they experienced improved cooling, heating and comfort. 

In fact, close to two-thirds (64 per cent) of respondents experienced only benefits, while 22 per cent had a mixed experience with both benefits and concerns, alongside just five per cent who reported only issues. Among those who did have them, the most common cited was the system being noisier than they would like (16 per cent). A very small group of respondents (three per cent) indicated that they were disappointed in the energy bill savings or that they even saw their bills go up. 

But even with all their benefits, heat pumps are still often a sizable investment. Among our respondents, the largest group (28 per cent) paid between $5,000 and $10,000 for their heat pump, while 23 per cent paid between $10,000 and $15,000, but pricing is very dependent on the type and size of the system. Mini split heat pumps are often on the cheaper end and ground source heat pumps are more expensive. 

Our survey shows how important government support continues to be in helping Canadian households make the switch. Three out of five respondents made use of a government incentive to help pay for the installation, most frequently through a provincial or federal program — or both. Most received a rebate amount between $2,000 and $8,000. Of people who made use of an incentive program, 53 per cent said they would not have installed the heat pump without it, with most saying they could not afford to do so otherwise. 

The market for heat pumps is growing rapidly as more Canadians experience their benefits firsthand and, in turn, recommend them to their neighbours, family and friends. But as this clean technology starts to enter the mainstream — and while gas prices are rising rapidly in response to global crises — it is crucial that governments keep supporting households in making the switch. Now is not the time to cool down on household electrification — it is time to double down. 

Jana Elbrecht is a senior policy advisor with the clean economy team at Clean Energy Canada, where she works on policy solutions for a thriving and sustainable Canadian economy. 

© National Observer