Heat Pump, Furnace & AC Contractors Across Metro Vancouver

A single-zone ductless mini-split typically runs $4,500 to $8,000 installed, and a multi-zone system with two to four indoor heads $9,000 to $18,000. A ducted heat pump that uses your existing furnace ducts is usually $10,000 to $18,000, and a variable-speed cold-climate system, new ductwork or an electrical service upgrade can push a job past $20,000. BC Hydro's own guidance puts most installs between about $6,000 and $16,000. The biggest swings come from how many rooms need their own head, the state of the ducts, whether the electrical panel has room, and where the outdoor unit can legally sit.

Both are allowed in Metro Vancouver, including the City of Vancouver, where a like-for-like gas furnace replacement still only needs a gas permit. A heat pump adds summer cooling and usually lowers carbon emissions; whether it lowers your bill depends on gas and electricity prices and how well the home holds heat. A dual-fuel setup, where a heat pump does most of the work and the furnace covers the coldest days, is a common middle path when the furnace is still in good shape. Income-qualified households can get CleanBC rebates for switching from gas, which can change the math significantly.

It depends on what heats your home now and your household income. BC Hydro's Home Renovation Rebate pays toward a heat pump that replaces all-electric heat such as baseboards or an electric furnace, installed by a contractor in its Home Performance Contractor Network. Income-qualified households can apply to the CleanBC Energy Savings Program, which pays substantially more, including for switching from gas. For higher-income homes heated by gas, there is currently no general CleanBC fuel-switching rebate in Metro Vancouver, and the federal Greener Homes grant and loan have closed. Programs change often, so confirm eligibility with the program before you buy.

In most cases, yes. An electrical permit is needed for the heat pump circuit, and it is issued by your municipality in Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, the City and District of North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Maple Ridge, and by Technical Safety BC everywhere else. The City of Vancouver also requires a mechanical permit when a heating or cooling system is installed or replaced with a different type, and some municipalities, such as the City of North Vancouver, require a building permit application. If a gas furnace is being removed or kept for dual fuel, a gas permit is needed too. Your contractor normally pulls the permits and includes them in the price.