Heating in Ottawa: furnaces, boilers, permits, loans and contractors

Ottawa’s older neighbourhoods, such as the Glebe, Sandy Hill and Westboro, have their share of hot-water radiators, but most of the city heats with forced air. This guide covers what Ottawa homes use, the City’s permit position, who may work on gas equipment in Ontario, Ottawa’s heat by-law for tenants, and the loans and rebates open in 2026.

What Ottawa homes actually use

*Statistics Canada flags this estimate as to be used with caution. Natural gas is the main heating energy for 59% of Ottawa households. If you have radiators, read steam vs hot water radiator systems before asking for quotes.

Ottawa permits

The City of Ottawa publishes a list of projects that do not need a building permit. It includes:

• installation of air conditioning units or heat pumps;
• replacing an existing hot water tank;
• pool heaters.

Furnace and boiler replacement is not on that list, and the City says that if you are unsure whether your project needs a permit you should contact its Building Code Services (311 or [email protected]). The exemptions do not apply to designated heritage buildings or buildings in a Heritage District Overlay, which covers parts of older neighbourhoods such as New Edinburgh and Sandy Hill. Your contractor should know the current position; get it in writing.

Who may work on a gas boiler in Ontario

Gas appliances are regulated by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA). TSSA says most fuels regulations require contractors to be registered with it, and registered contractors must use technicians certified under Ontario Regulation 215/01. Use TSSA’s “Find a Registered Fuels Contractor” search to check a firm, and ask which certificate the technician holds.

Ottawa’s heat by-law for tenants

Ottawa’s Heat By-law (2010-210) applies where the landlord pays for heat. It defines adequate heat as at least 20°C between 6am and 11pm and at least 16.67°C between 11pm and 6am, measured in the centre of each room, and requires landlords to maintain it at all times, not just in winter.

Loans and rebates open in 2026

The Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program is open. It offers 20-year loans tied to the property of $10,000 up to $125,000 (or 10% of the home’s current value assessment, if lower) at a published rate of 4.33%, covering insulation, mechanical systems, renewables and more. People using the loan can also get the City’s heat pump incentive: $700 per ton for cold-climate air-source heat pumps and $1,000 per ton for ground-source, plus $5 per metre of well or loop. For a limited time there is also a $600 reduction on the loan for participants not already receiving the $600 assessment rebate from Home Renovation Savings. Approved applicants receive a Notice to Proceed setting out the maximum loan. The programme says it does not fund natural gas-powered upgrades such as furnaces or water heaters, so a gas boiler is unlikely to qualify.

Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy’s Home Renovation Savings programme also applies in Ottawa. It pays for heat pumps but not gas boilers or furnaces:

The older Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate ended intake on 27 January 2025.

Federal money: what has closed

Two federal schemes that older articles still mention are no longer available to new applicants. The Canada Greener Homes Grant closed earlier, and CMHC says the Canada Greener Homes Loan portal has been closed to new applications since 2 October 2025. The replacement, the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program, offers no-cost retrofits such as insulation and heat pumps to low-to-median-income homeowners and tenants, but only through participating provinces. Ontario is not currently listed as a participating province.

Typical prices

We have not found an independent Ottawa-only boiler price survey. The Toronto-area benchmark in our Canada boiler costs guide puts a standard condensing gas boiler at $5,500–$9,000 installed and a high-efficiency one at $6,500–$11,000. HomeStars’ Ottawa guide says converting from electric baseboards to central gas heating can cost $10,000–$16,000 and permits and inspections can add $100–$500. All figures were checked in September 2026. Heat pump or replacement gas boiler covers the trade-offs.

How to choose a heating contractor in Ottawa

• Check TSSA registration and the technician’s certificate.
• Ask about permits, especially in heritage areas, and get the answer in writing.
• For the Better Homes loan or heat pump incentive, get the programme’s Notice to Proceed first; for Home Renovation Savings, use a participating contractor and get pre-approval.
• Compare like for like. See comparing boiler quotes like for like.

Boiler and heating firms in Ottawa

These businesses appear in public business listings for Ottawa, and each has its own website describing boiler, hydronic or heating work. We have not checked their work, prices, licences or insurance, and they have not paid to appear. Check TSSA registration yourself before you book.

You can also compare boiler options or request a quote. If you smell gas, leave the building straight away and call 911 or your gas utility’s emergency line from outside. Do not switch lights or appliances on or off. See also carbon monoxide alarms and boiler safety.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Primary heating systems and type of energy, Table 38-10-0286-01 (statcan.gc.ca)
• Projects not requiring Building Permits (ottawa.ca)
• Heat By-law No. 2010-210 (ottawa.ca)
• Contractor Registration and Certification (tssa.org)
• Better Homes Ottawa Loan Program (betterhomesottawa.ca)
• Home Renovation Savings: Heat pumps (homerenovationsavings.ca)
• Home Efficiency Rebate (enbridgegas.com)
• Canada Greener Homes Loan (cmhc-schl.gc.ca)
• Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program (natural-resources.canada.ca)
• Heating and cooling cost Ottawa (homestars.com)
• Boiler Installation Cost Ontario 2026 (ecofrostheating.ca)

Last checked: September 2026. Rules, rebates and prices change, so confirm the current position with the city, the province, the utility or the contractor before you commit.

Best Boiler Deals is a comparison and referral service, not a heating contractor. We do not install or repair boilers, furnaces or heat pumps, and a listing here is not a recommendation.