Heat pump vs baseboard heaters: how much do you save?
Updated October 24, 2026
A baseboard heater turns 1 kWh of electricity into 1 kWh of heat. A heat pump delivers 2 to 3 on average over the winter, because it moves heat instead of making it. Here is what that means, city by city.
- Heating need11,500 kWh/yr
- Baseboards$1,000
- Heat pump$400
- Seasonal efficiency2.7
Savings by city
| City | Electricity | Baseboards | Heat pump | Savings/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | 11.72 ¢ | $900 | $300 | $600 | 5.7 yr |
| Toronto | 15.57 ¢ | $1,600 | $600 | $1,000 | 4.5 yr |
| Ottawa | 15.57 ¢ | $1,900 | $700 | $1,200 | 4.0 yr |
| Montreal | 8.29 ¢ | $1,000 | $400 | $600 | 7.8 yr |
| Quebec City | 8.29 ¢ | $1,100 | $400 | $700 | 6.9 yr |
| Halifax | 19.13 ¢ | $2,200 | $700 | $1,400 | 3.2 yr |
| Moncton | 15.84 ¢ | $2,000 | $700 | $1,300 | 3.8 yr |
| Charlottetown | 17.80 ¢ | $2,200 | $800 | $1,400 | 3.3 yr |
| St. John’s | 15.59 ¢ | $2,000 | $700 | $1,300 | 2.9 yr |
| Winnipeg | 9.97 ¢ | $1,500 | $600 | $900 | 5.2 yr |
| Regina | 15.48 ¢ | $2,400 | $1,000 | $1,400 | 3.3 yr |
| Calgary | 12.00 ¢ | $1,600 | $600 | $1,000 | 4.9 yr |
| Edmonton | 12.00 ¢ | $1,900 | $800 | $1,100 | 4.3 yr |
Payback is on the system’s DIY price, before rebates. Savings are larger where electricity is expensive (Halifax: $1,400 a year) and where winter is long.
Keep the baseboards?
Yes. They stay as backup for the few coldest hours of the year and for closed rooms far from the indoor unit. The heat pump does most of the work; the baseboards only switch on when it is no longer enough.
Bonus: air conditioning
The same heat pump cools and dehumidifies in summer, which baseboards obviously cannot do. If you were planning to buy an air conditioner, the heat pump replaces it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heat pump save compared with baseboards?
For a typical 1,100 sq ft bungalow with basement, from $600 to $1,400 a year depending on the city and electricity rate.
Does a heat pump use more in extreme cold?
Its efficiency drops as it gets colder, but stays above a baseboard’s down to very low temperatures. The seasonal efficiency used here accounts for each city’s climate.
Keep reading
Heat pump vs oil furnaceHeat pump cost in CanadaInstalling a heat pump yourselfRebates by province