British Columbia's furnace market is really several markets. In Vancouver and Victoria, mild coastal winters make heat pumps an easy sell and furnaces a secondary topic. In Kamloops, Prince George or the Kootenays, long cold winters keep gas furnaces central. A BC furnace company needs to know which of those it serves before choosing a message.
Market and buyers
The direct answer: gas is still the largest primary heating fuel in BC, but only narrowly.
Statistics Canada's Table 38-10-0286-01 shows 42% of BC households relying mainly on natural gas in 2023 and 36% on electricity. The largest urban markets are Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Kelowna and Saanich.
Typical furnace buyers in BC include:
- owners of older detached homes in Metro Vancouver suburbs and the Fraser Valley with original mid-efficiency furnaces
- Interior and Northern homeowners for whom no heat is a safety issue, not an inconvenience
- households weighing a heat pump against a new furnace, or both together
Climate and seasonality
Climate varies sharply within the province. The southwest coast has mild, wet winters, while the Interior and the North face much longer and colder heating seasons. In practice, furnace demand in the Lower Mainland peaks briefly during cold snaps, while Interior and Northern markets carry steady demand from October to April. FortisBC's own figures reflect this: its January 2026 release estimated higher monthly use in Fort Nelson than for the average customer.
Regulators to know
- Technical Safety BC is the province's regulator for gas and propane safety and the body that licenses gas contractors.
- SkilledTradesBC handles trade certification in the province.
- WorkSafeBC covers workplace safety and insurance.
- Consumer Protection BC handles consumer protection matters.
We link these for reference; we do not give compliance advice.
Rates and programs as of October 2026
Gas rates. FortisBC said in a December 9, 2025 release that BCUC approval would raise a typical residential bill about 11.1% from January 1, 2026, partly to fund efficiency rebates. Our carbon monoxide brief covers the regulator's 2025 safety findings for gas.
Income-qualified rebates. The CleanBC Better Homes Energy Savings Program changed its requirements for invoices dated from July 6, 2026. Conversions from gas, propane or oil remain eligible at all three income levels, a dual-fuel ducted heat pump rebate is listed, and electric-to-heat-pump upgrades are limited to the lowest income level. Full conversions must remove the fossil fuel system; dual-fuel installs keep and modify it. See our BC program brief.
Programs change often. Confirm amounts with the administrator before quoting them.
A note on safety messaging in BC
Technical Safety BC's 2025 State of Safety report named carbon monoxide the province's top technical risk and described a fatal case involving a poorly vented furnace, as our carbon monoxide brief explains. For BC furnace companies, that gives maintenance offers a factual, regulator-backed basis. Quote the regulator, link the report and keep the tone calm.
Local business mix and how we would market here
BC furnace companies range from owner-operators in small Interior towns to multi-truck firms across Metro Vancouver. Many already sell heat pumps, and the strongest ones present furnaces and heat pumps as options rather than rivals.
Our approach in BC:
- Split the province in your campaigns. Coastal and Interior messaging should differ; one province-wide ad wastes money.
- Lead with dual-fuel where gas is established. The provincial program's dual-fuel listing gives a factual reason to talk about keeping the furnace as backup. Our dual-fuel campaign service is built for this.
- State rebates by income level. "Up to" figures without the condition mislead most readers.
- Keep rate pages current. FortisBC reviews the cost of gas quarterly, so date everything.
Our group is headquartered in Vancouver, and our HVAC work includes BC clients such as BCWide.ca, which achieved 3× leads in 90 days. More on that in our results. We are a marketing service, not a heating contractor.
Frequently asked questions
How many BC homes heat with gas?
Statistics Canada reports that 42% of BC households used natural gas for their primary heating system in 2023, and 36% used electricity.
Who licenses gas contractors in BC?
Technical Safety BC. It licenses gas contractors, and electrical ones, and is the safety regulator for natural gas and propane. Some local governments issue permits, but Technical Safety BC still licenses the contractors.
Are there rebates for dual-fuel systems in BC?
As of October 2026, the income-qualified Energy Savings Program lists a dual-fuel ducted heat pump rebate for invoices from July 6, 2026, with amounts that depend on income level. Confirm current terms with CleanBC Better Homes.