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For a home heated by baseboards, a heat pump usually cuts the heating bill and adds cooling. Several provinces pay their highest heat pump rate to electric-heated homes: up to $7,500 from Home Renovation Savings in Ontario.
Key facts
| Ductless heat pump | Electric baseboards | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical installed cost | $2,000 to $9,000 (Soumission Rénovation, March 2026, installer estimate) | Already installed in most of these homes |
| Heats and cools | Yes | Heats only |
| Bill impact (B.C. study) | Homes with electric baseboards and AC save about $849 a year on average with a heat pump; gas-and-AC homes about $169 (Clean Energy Canada model). | Baseline |
| Rebate in Ontario (electric-heated) | $1,250 per ton, up to $7,500 | None |
| Rebate in B.C. (replacing electric heat) | $4,000 | None |
| Main downside | Upfront cost; one head may not heat closed-off rooms | High running cost |
Heat pump vs baseboard heaters, from our program database and named cost sources
Program data last verified
RebateHub, “Heat pump vs baseboard heaters: is replacing them worth it?”, https://rebatehub.ca/compare/heat-pump-vs-baseboard-heaters#key-facts (last verified October 12, 2026).
Add up your rebates for replacing electric heat
Set “How do you heat now?” to electric. The receipt adds up every open program for your province.
Your rebate stack
Ontario · Heat pumps
1 program
Could add up to
Depends on how you heat
$2,000–$7,500
+ $2,000 when the National Heat Pump Rebate opens
Verified against official sources ·
How it adds up
- National Heat Pump Rebate+ $2,000
Cold-climate air-source heat pump (other eligible homeowners) · Rebate · Not open yet · not in the total
- Home Renovation Savings Programup to $7,500
Cold-climate air-source heat pump (home heated by electricity, oil, propane or wood) · Rebate
Free upgrade · Toronto only
City loans in 7 Ontario cities, from about $53/month per $10,000 · not counted
Program maximums for an air-source heat pump. Ground-source systems can get more. Your amount depends on your home and the equipment. City-only programs aren’t counted in the total.
3 income-qualified programs hidden.
Rebates when you replace electric heat
| Program | Replacing electric heat | Other homes |
|---|---|---|
| Home Renovation Savings Program | $1,250 per ton, up to $7,500 | $500 per ton, up to $2,000 |
| Home Renovation Rebate Program | $4,000 | $1,500 |
Heat pump rebates for electric-heated homes
In Québec, LogisVert requires electric main heating for its heat pump grant: $120 per 1,000 BTU/h at -8°C (advertised up to $6,700). In B.C. the Home Renovation Rebate pays more for whole-home heating than for a partial system. See heat pump vs electric furnace in Québec.
What a ductless system costs
| System | Typical installed cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wall-mounted heat pump, one head, Québec | $2,000 to $9,000 | Soumission Rénovation, March 2026 (installer estimate) |
| Multi-zone wall-mounted heat pump, Québec | $4,500 to $15,000 | Soumission Rénovation, March 2026 (installer estimate) |
| Cold-climate air-source heat pump, whole home | $10,000 to $19,000 | RBC (citing CBC), May 2024 |
Heat pump installed costs
Typical ranges before rebates and tax, not quotes. Your price depends on the home, the ductwork and the equipment. Ask for at least two written quotes.
Baseboard homes have no ducts, so most use wall-mounted (ductless) heads. One head heats an open area; closed bedrooms often need their own head or keep a baseboard. Compare ductless and ducted systems.
Running costs
Running costs
Homes with electric baseboards and AC save about $849 a year on average with a heat pump; gas-and-AC homes about $169 (Clean Energy Canada model). Read the report
Averages from the study, not a promise for your home.
Keep the baseboards as backup if you like: they cost nothing to leave on the wall and only run when you turn them up.
Honest downsides
A heat pump costs thousands upfront, while baseboards are already paid for. Rebates often need a registered installer and some need approval first. If your home is small and well insulated, the bill saving is smaller. Start with insulation rebates if the attic is thin.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Last updated . Amounts and rules come from the official program pages below. If something has changed, please tell us.
- 1Home Renovation Savings Program · Save on Energyhomerenovationsavings.ca
- 2Home Renovation Rebate Program · BC Hydro and FortisBC, with funding from the Province of B.C.bchydro.com
- 3LogisVert Efficient Homes Program · Hydro-Québechydroquebec.com
- 4National Heat Pump Rebate · Government of Canadacanada.ca
- 5Clean Energy Canada, More for lesscleanenergycanada.org