The widely believed intent of the government to somehow, someday get homes in Ontario off natural gas and onto electric heating has shocked many people — notwithstanding reassurances that it isn’t true, exactly. The decision to declare natural gas a hated “fossil” fuel has stunned people who believe it to be a relatively clean way to heat homes and water. Until very recently, this was official policy. Now natural gas is apparently seen as a blight in the Environment Ministry. Below are some figures of the cost of conversion to electricity supplied by gas suppliers at current rates.
Comparison Shopping:
- Annual Cost of running an electric furnace: $2,722 based on 19,171 kWh at $0.420 per kWh
- Annual cost of running a gas furnace: $668 based on 1,971 M3 at $0.2181
Difference: $2,054 a year
- Annual cost of running an electric water heater: $838
- Annual cost of running a natural gas water heater: $194
Difference: $644
Combined savings of gas over electric: $2,698
(Source: Ontario Natural Gas Alliance)
Gassed Up:
- Percentage of Ontario households with forced-air furnaces: 76%
- Percentage of Ontario households where natural gas is principal energy source: 62%
- Percentage of total Ontario household energy use coming from natural gas: 58%
