Home › Households › Compare › Canada
Family of four in a house vs All-electric family house: Electricity Use Compared in Canada (2026)
Switching the same family from gas heating and hot water to electric can double or triple the electricity bill, even though the appliances have not changed. Heating is the largest energy use in any home, and moving it onto the electricity meter dwarfs everything else. Whether the total energy cost goes up depends on gas prices and on whether the electric heating is a heat pump or resistance.
In Canada, family of four in a house uses about 12,694 kWh a year (C$148.10 a month) and all-electric family house about 17,750 kWh (C$207.08 a month). That is 1.4× as much, or C$58.99 more per month. Per person: 3,174 kWh vs 4,438 kWh a year.
Sources: Natural Resources Canada, Survey of Household Energy Use 2019, Table 3.5a electricity intensity per household (GJ converted at 277.78 kWh/GJ): Single detached house. Natural Resources Canada, Survey of Household Energy Use 2019, Table 3.5a electricity intensity per household (GJ converted at 277.78 kWh/GJ): Quebec average. Priced at C$0.14 per kWh (Canada Energy Regulator 2026 market snapshot, 2026-06).
Where the difference comes from
| Category | Family of four in a house | All-electric family house | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating & cooling | 4,443 kWh | 6,212 kWh | +1,769 |
| Water heating | 1,904 kWh | 2,662 kWh | +758 |
| Refrigeration & freezing | 1,269 kWh | 1,775 kWh | +506 |
| Cooking | 381 kWh | 532 kWh | +151 |
| Washing, drying & dishwashing | 762 kWh | 1,065 kWh | +303 |
| TV, computing & network | 762 kWh | 1,065 kWh | +303 |
| Lighting | 762 kWh | 1,065 kWh | +303 |
| Other appliances | 2,412 kWh | 3,372 kWh | +960 |
- In the all-electric home, heating and hot water are typically half to two-thirds of the electricity bill.
- A heat pump cuts that heating share by half or more compared with resistance heating.
- The appliance part of the bill is the same in both houses; only the heating line changes.
Only in the all-electric family house
- None
Only in the family of four in a house
- None
The same comparison in other countries
| Country | Family of four in a house | All-electric family house | Ratio | Extra per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States (average) | 13,072 | 13,073 | 1.0× | $0.015 |
| United Kingdom | 3,800 | 6,100 | 1.6× | £49.83 |
| Germany | 3,800 | 4,700 | 1.2× | €27.75 |
| France | 6,034 | 13,290 | 2.2× | €120.93 |
| Australia | 7,311 | 7,311 | 1.0× | A$0.000 |
| Canada (average) | 12,694 | 17,750 | 1.4× | C$58.99 |