What the Electrical Side of a Heat Pump Costs in Metro Vancouver (2025-2026)
$800 to $2,500 for the circuit and disconnect; $3,500 to $7,000 more if the service must go to 200A
Metro Vancouver figures, reviewed 2026-09-26. How these ranges are set
Get Quotes for This JobThe electrical side of a heat pump installation in Metro Vancouver, the dedicated circuit, the outdoor disconnect and the connection, costs $800 to $2,500 before any service upgrade. Many 100A homes with an electric range and dryer are already near capacity, and adding a heat pump can require load management, a sub-panel or a 200A service upgrade at $3,500 to $7,000. The BC Electrical Code requires a load calculation before the load is added, and it decides which of those you need.
Electric baseboard heat is widespread in older Metro Vancouver housing and CleanBC rebates are driving the switch. The rebates require a licensed contractor and a permit, and in some cases cover part of the service upgrade needed to install the heat pump.
What you will actually pay
The heat pump itself and the HVAC installation are separate; these are the electrical figures.
| Job | Typical range | What sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated circuit and fused or non-fused outdoor disconnect | $800 to $2,500 | Distance from the panel to the outdoor unit is the variable |
| Sub-panel when the main panel is out of spaces | $1,200 to $2,500 | Often the cheaper answer to a full panel |
| Load calculation and written capacity assessment | $150 to $400 | Usually credited against the job |
| 100A to 200A service upgrade when the calculation says so | $3,500 to $7,000 | See the panel upgrade cost page |
| Removing or isolating baseboard heater circuits | $300 to $1,200 | Frees panel capacity; leave some for backup heat |
| Thermostat or control wiring for ductless heads | $150 to $400 per head | Low-voltage control runs |
What moves the price
Panel capacity first: a 100A service with an electric range, a dryer and a water heater often cannot take a heat pump without load management or an upgrade. Distance second: an outdoor unit on the far side of the house from the panel means a long run and sometimes trenching. Third, the strata question in townhouses and low-rises, where the outdoor unit and the circuit may cross common property and need council approval. The disconnect must be within sight of the outdoor unit, and the whole job is a permit and inspection whether the electrician or the HVAC company's licensed electrician does it.
Permits and inspections in Metro Vancouver
Seven Metro Vancouver local governments run their own electrical permit and inspection programs: the City of Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Maple Ridge. Everywhere else in Metro Vancouver, including Richmond, Delta, Langley, White Rock, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster and Pitt Meadows, the electrical permit is issued by Technical Safety BC. Residential electrical permit fees typically run $150 to $300 and belong inside the quote, not as a surprise on the invoice.
What a fair quote includes
- The load calculation, in writing, and what it concluded
- The circuit, breaker size and disconnect, itemised
- Any sub-panel or service upgrade as a separate line
- The permit and inspection
- Which rebate paperwork the electrician provides and which the HVAC installer provides
Ask before you hire
- The contractor's Technical Safety BC licence number, which you can verify online, and proof of current WorkSafeBC coverage
- Whether the permit, the inspection and any BC Hydro coordination are inside the price
- What changes the price if they open a wall or a panel and find aluminum wiring, knob-and-tube or a full panel
- Whether drywall or exterior repair is included or quoted separately
- How long the quote is valid, and whether a deposit is required before materials are ordered
Want this done at your place?
Tell us what is wrong or what you want installed and we'll get you a real quote from a local Metro Vancouver electrician. We send it out to local contractors for you. Free, no pressure.
Common questions
Does the HVAC company or an electrician do the wiring?
Either, as long as the person doing it holds an electrical licence and pulls the electrical permit. Many HVAC companies subcontract this part; ask whose licence the permit is under.
Can I keep the baseboards as backup?
Yes, and many homeowners do. Keeping some baseboard circuits live is a load calculation question, not a code problem.