Switching all B.C. homes to heat pumps would save households $675 million a year while reducing grid demand and emissions: study - Clean Energy Canada

A new report from Clean Energy Canada highlights that switching all homes in British Columbia to heat pumps for space heating and cooling, combined with electrified water heating technologies, could save households a collective $675 million annually. Individual savings vary by current heating systems, with natural gas users saving about $358 per year and electric resistance heating users saving approximately $1,039 annually. Despite expanding cooling access, overall residential electricity demand would decrease as heat pumps replace inefficient electric baseboards and reduce the need for standalone air conditioners. This transition would also cut emissions by 3.5 megatonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually, roughly equal to removing over 800,000 gas-powered cars from the road or 6% of B.C.’s total emissions. The study’s modeling accounted for B.C.’s diverse climate zones and housing types, using a weighted approach to reflect real-world conditions. However, the report stresses that achieving these benefits requires a coordinated provincial strategy to avoid leaving behind low-income residents, renters, and