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What does it cost to heat a garage in Alberta?

A 5,000-watt, 240-volt electric garage heater costs about $1.02 in Edmonton and about $1.02 in Calgary an hour. A 45,000 BTU/h gas unit heater costs about $0.25 an hour in Edmonton.

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Key facts

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An hour of a 5,000-watt electric garage heater costs about $1.02 in Calgary. For gas in Calgary, use your bill’s gas price and usage charges with the heater’s GJ.

An hour of a 5,000-watt electric garage heater costs about $1.02 in Edmonton. An hour of a 45,000 BTU/h input gas unit heater costs about $0.25 in Edmonton.

Prices use today’s default energy rates. They include usage-based delivery charges, town fees and GST. These are costs of extra use. Daily charges remain on your bill.

What does an hour cost in my town?

Electric garage heat by rating: one hour or 8 hours a day for 30 days
Town4,000 W: one hour4,000 W: 240 hours5,000 W: one hour5,000 W: 240 hours7,500 W: one hour7,500 W: 240 hours
Calgaryabout $0.81about $194.88about $1.02about $243.60about $1.52about $365.40
Edmontonabout $0.82about $195.84about $1.02about $244.80about $1.53about $367.20
Airdrieabout $0.90about $215.04about $1.12about $268.80about $1.68about $403.20
Beaumontabout $0.89about $213.12about $1.11about $266.40about $1.67about $399.60
Cochraneabout $0.88about $212.16about $1.11about $265.20about $1.66about $397.80
Fort Saskatchewanabout $0.83about $199.68about $1.04about $249.60about $1.56about $374.40
Grande Prairieabout $1.16about $277.44about $1.45about $346.80about $2.17about $520.20
Leducabout $0.89about $213.12about $1.11about $266.40about $1.67about $399.60
Okotoksabout $0.90about $215.04about $1.12about $268.80about $1.68about $403.20
Red Deerabout $0.70about $168.00about $0.88about $210.00about $1.31about $315.00
Sherwood Parkabout $0.83about $199.68about $1.04about $249.60about $1.56about $374.40
Spruce Groveabout $0.90about $215.04about $1.12about $268.80about $1.68about $403.20
St. Albertabout $0.88about $211.20about $1.10about $264.00about $1.65about $396.00
Stony Plainabout $0.90about $215.04about $1.12about $268.80about $1.68about $403.20

Worked out on the default electricity rate and today’s delivery charges and town fees, with GST. Your plan’s energy price will differ.

Tariffs in force on . Rounded estimates of extra use; daily charges are already on the bill.

The charges behind these numbers
  • Rate of Last Resort, ENMAX Energy: 12.06¢ per kWh (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Rate of Last Resort, ENMAX Energy administration charge: C$0.4134 per day (from 1 January 2025) [source].
  • Balancing pool rider: 0.1290¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Fixed delivery charge: C$0.769463 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Variable delivery charge: 1.5477¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Quarterly transmission adjustment rider: 0.0583¢ per kWh (1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Transmission charge deferral rider: 0.0483¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Transmission charge: 3.8996¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Local access fee in Calgary (approved for 2025 and 2026): 1.5507¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2025) [source].
  • Rate of Last Resort, EPCOR Energy Alberta: 12.01¢ per kWh (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Rate of Last Resort, EPCOR Energy Alberta administration charge: C$0.230 per day (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Fixed delivery charge: C$0.72856 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Variable delivery charge: 1.783¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Balancing pool rider: 0.130¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Transmission true-up rider (Rider J): -0.016¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Transmission deferral rider (Rider K): 0.103¢ per kWh (from 1 October 2026) [source].
  • Transmission charge: 4.050¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Local access fee, Edmonton: 1.388¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Rate of Last Resort, EPCOR Energy Alberta administration charge: C$0.260 per day (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Balancing pool rider: 0.1198¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Base Transmission Adjustment Rider: -0.59% (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Fixed delivery charge: C$1.034442 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Variable delivery charge: 3.3477¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Quarterly transmission adjustment rider: 0.0155¢ per kWh (1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Transmission charge: 4.2560¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Airdrie: 20% (from 1 April 2021) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Airdrie: 1.04% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Beaumont: 17.25% (from 1 January 2020) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Beaumont: 1.29% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Cochrane: 17% (from 1 January 2020) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Cochrane: 1.03% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Fort Saskatchewan: 0% (from 1 October 2013) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Fort Saskatchewan: 0.86% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Rate of Last Resort, Direct Energy Regulated Services: 12.02¢ per kWh (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Rate of Last Resort, Direct Energy Regulated Services administration charge: C$0.558 per day (1 July 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Fixed delivery charge: C$1.4125 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Variable delivery charge: 9.03¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Balancing pool rider (Rider B): 0.133¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Temporary adjustment rider (Rider G): -0.212¢ per kWh (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Transmission deferral rider (Rider S): 0.068¢ per kWh (1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Fixed service charge: C$0.2698 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Transmission charge: 4.79¢ per kWh (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider (Rider A), Grande Prairie: 12.26% (from 1 April 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Leduc: 18% (from 1 May 2026) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Leduc: 1.03% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Okotoks: 20% (from 1 January 2021) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Okotoks: 0.92% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Rate of Last Resort, ENMAX Energy: 12.06¢ per kWh (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Rate of Last Resort, ENMAX Energy administration charge: C$0.3035 per day (from 1 March 2026) [source].
  • Balancing pool allocation: 0.131¢ per kWh (from 1 March 2026) [source].
  • Fixed distribution charge: C$0.5228 per day (from 1 March 2026) [source].
  • Fixed system access charge: C$0.6949 per day (from 1 March 2026) [source].
  • Variable system access charge: 1.84¢ per kWh (from 1 March 2026) [source].
  • Variable distribution charge: 1.82¢ per kWh (from 1 March 2026) [source].
  • Transmission rider: 0.24¢ per kWh (1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Local access fee in Red Deer: 15.00% (from 1 March 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Strathcona County (Sherwood Park): 0% (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Strathcona County (Sherwood Park): 0.85% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Spruce Grove: 20% (from 1 January 2016) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Spruce Grove: 1.36% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, St. Albert: 15% (from 1 January 2023) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, St. Albert: 1.52% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Stony Plain: 20% (from 1 January 2013) [source].
  • Municipal assessment rider, Stony Plain: 1.32% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
Gas garage heat by input rating: one burner hour or 8 burner hours a day for 30 days
Town30,000 BTU/h input: one burner hour30,000 BTU/h input: 240 burner hours45,000 BTU/h input: one burner hour45,000 BTU/h input: 240 burner hours60,000 BTU/h input: one burner hour60,000 BTU/h input: 240 burner hours
Edmontonabout $0.17about $39.81about $0.25about $59.71about $0.33about $79.61
Airdrieabout $0.18about $42.24about $0.26about $63.36about $0.35about $84.47
Beaumontabout $0.23about $54.16about $0.34about $81.24about $0.45about $108.33
Cochraneabout $0.16about $38.82about $0.24about $58.23about $0.32about $77.64
Fort Saskatchewanabout $0.14about $32.44about $0.20about $48.66about $0.27about $64.87
Grande Prairieabout $0.16about $39.05about $0.24about $58.57about $0.33about $78.09
Leducabout $0.23about $54.92about $0.34about $82.38about $0.46about $109.85
Lethbridgeabout $0.17about $41.02about $0.26about $61.53about $0.34about $82.04
Medicine Hatabout $0.13about $30.84about $0.19about $46.26about $0.26about $61.68
Red Deerabout $0.16about $39.50about $0.25about $59.25about $0.33about $79.00
Sherwood Parkabout $0.15about $36.08about $0.23about $54.13about $0.30about $72.17
Spruce Groveabout $0.16about $39.12about $0.24about $58.68about $0.33about $78.24
Stony Plainabout $0.16about $39.20about $0.24about $58.80about $0.33about $78.40

Worked out on the default gas rate and today’s delivery charges and town fees, with GST. Your plan’s gas price will differ.

Tariffs in force on . Rounded costs of extra use; daily charges are already on the bill.

The charges behind these numbers
  • Default gas rate, ATCO Gas (north): C$1.458 per GJ (1 October 2026 to 31 October 2026) [source].
  • Default gas rate, ATCO Gas (north) administration charge: C$0.330 per day (1 July 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Fixed delivery charge: C$0.997 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Variable delivery charge: C$1.049 per GJ (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Load balancing deferral rider (Rider L): C$0.091 per GJ (1 May 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Transmission service charge (Rider T): C$1.357 per GJ (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Rider D Unaccounted For Gas: 1.549% (1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Edmonton: 35.00% (from 16 January 2025) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Edmonton: 5.60% (from 1 February 2026) [source].
  • Default gas rate, ATCO Gas (south): C$1.458 per GJ (1 October 2026 to 31 October 2026) [source].
  • Default gas rate, ATCO Gas (south) administration charge: C$0.330 per day (1 July 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Fixed delivery charge: C$0.876 per day (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Variable delivery charge: C$1.000 per GJ (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Load balancing deferral rider (Rider L): C$0.091 per GJ (1 May 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Transmission service charge (Rider T): C$1.357 per GJ (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Weather deferral rider (Rider W): C$0.325 per GJ (1 September 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Rider D Unaccounted For Gas: 1.549% (1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Airdrie: 35.00% (from 1 June 2026) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Airdrie: 2.50% (from 1 February 2026) [source].
  • Default gas rate, Apex Utilities: C$1.602 per GJ (1 October 2026 to 31 October 2026) [source].
  • Default gas rate, Apex Utilities administration charge: C$0.164 per day (from 1 August 2026) [source].
  • Fixed delivery charge: C$2.028 per day (from 1 August 2026) [source].
  • Variable delivery charge: C$2.948 per GJ (from 1 August 2026) [source].
  • Third-party transportation rider (Rider G): C$0.869 per GJ (from 1 January 2026) [source].
  • Load balancing deferral rider (Rider L): C$0.172 per GJ (1 May 2025 to 31 October 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Beaumont: 28.50% (from 1 October 2025) [source].
  • District property tax rider (Rider B), Beaumont: 0.4851% (from 1 April 2026) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Beaumont: 1.0617% (from 1 April 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Cochrane: 20.00% (from 1 January 2016) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Cochrane: 2.00% (from 1 February 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Fort Saskatchewan: 0.00% (from 18 December 2024) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Fort Saskatchewan: 3.40% (from 1 February 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Grande Prairie: 31.63% (from 1 March 2026) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Grande Prairie: 5.00% (from 1 February 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Leduc: 31.00% (from 1 May 2026) [source].
  • District property tax rider (Rider B), Leduc: 0.4851% (from 1 April 2026) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Leduc: 0.9458% (from 1 April 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Lethbridge: 27.00% (from 15 February 2012) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Lethbridge: 5.20% (from 1 February 2026) [source].
  • Default gas rate, City of Medicine Hat gas utility: C$1.9070 per GJ (1 October 2026 to 31 October 2026) [source].
  • Default gas administration charge, Medicine Hat: C$0.0880 per day (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Delivery charge: C$1.6270 per GJ (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Environmental conservation charge, on use above 19 GJ per calendar month: C$0.9000 per GJ (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Carbon levy: C$0.00000 per GJ (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Service charge, Medicine Hat gas: C$0.8390 per day (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Municipal consent and access fee, daily part, gas: C$0.16989 per day (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Municipal consent and access fee, usage part, gas: C$0.32946 per GJ (1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Red Deer: 35.00% (from 18 December 2024) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Red Deer: 4.10% (from 1 February 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Strathcona County (Sherwood Park): 22.00% (from 18 December 2024) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Strathcona County (Sherwood Park): 0% (from 1 July 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Spruce Grove: 35.00% (from 18 December 2024) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Spruce Grove: 2.30% (from 1 February 2026) [source].
  • Municipal franchise fee, Stony Plain: 35.00% (from 18 December 2024) [source].
  • Municipal property tax rider, Stony Plain: 2.50% (from 1 February 2026) [source].

Read the rating plate on your heater, or its manual. For an electric heater, find the watts. For a gas heater, find the BTU per hour marked as input. Compare your label with the table ratings.

For illustration

A 240-volt supply tells you the voltage, not the watts. For a 4,000, 5,000 or 7,500 W heater, use the matching watt row. For gas, match a 30,000, 45,000 or 60,000 BTU/h input. These are example ratings, not typical sizes.

For gas use, the conversion is MMBtu per GJ: 0.9478 (read 22 October 2026) [source]. An MMBtu is a million BTU. Multiply the heater’s BTU per hour by the hours it burns. Divide by a million for MMBtu, then divide by the conversion above for GJ.

Are watts and BTU the same heat?

No. Equal input does not mean equal heat.

Watts measure power. A BTU is an amount of energy, so compare watts with BTU per hour. Electric resistance heat turns all its watts into heat at the heater. For gas, multiply input by thermal efficiency. The result is useful heat output.

One kWh is about 3,412 BTU (read 30 October 2026) [source].

The federal minimum for covered gas unit heaters is a thermal efficiency of at least 80 percent at maximum nominal heat input, for units made on or after August 8, 2008 (read 30 October 2026) [source]. Use your own heater’s rating for a comparison.

Some gas unit heaters are marketed for residential applications such as garage heating (read 30 October 2026) [source]. Condensing models can operate at as much as 93 percent efficiency (read 30 October 2026) [source].

For illustration

Take a 45,000 BTU/h gas input at 80 per cent thermal efficiency. Useful heat is 45,000 × 0.80 = 36,000 BTU/h. For a 5,000 W electric resistance heater, multiply 5 × 3,412. The output is about 17,060 BTU/h. These ratings give different amounts of heat. The cost rows do not compare equal heat output.

How long will my heater run?

It depends on your garage, the weather and the thermostat.

Insulation and door use affect running time. So do outdoor cold and the thermostat setting. Count time actually heating. A gas burner cycles on and off. Time with the thermostat enabled is not all burner time.

For illustration

The 8-hour rows assume 8 hours of heating each day for 30 days. For gas, that means 240 burner hours. They illustrate a schedule. They do not predict your garage’s monthly use.

Do I need a permit?

The regulation sets permit rules for electrical and gas work.

The Permit Regulation says an electrical permit is “required to install, alter or add to an electrical system” (read 30 October 2026) [source]. A gas permit is “required to install, alter or add to a gas system” (read 30 October 2026) [source]. The regulation also lists exceptions. Ask your permit issuer which requirements apply before starting work.

A permit issuer may issue a gas permit to an owner of a single family residential dwelling. The owner must reside or intend to reside there. The gas system must serve the dwelling (read 30 October 2026) [source]. Whether a garage heater qualifies is for your permit issuer to say. The Safety Codes Council’s advice is to check with your local municipality before starting work (read 30 October 2026) [source].

How do I stay safe?

Carbon monoxide can only be detected with a carbon monoxide alarm (read 30 October 2026) [source]. Follow the alarm and heater instructions.

Have a professional inspect fuel-burning appliances. Do this at least once a year or in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions (read 30 October 2026) [source].

ATCO’s checklist says: Vehicles never idled in garage, even with the overhead door open (read 30 October 2026) [source].

Does my plan change this?

Your plan changes the energy parts of the calculation. Delivery and town charges follow the applicable tariffs. Read fixed versus floating plans. Use your own bill’s rates to work out your cost.

For other winter uses, see block heater running costs and furnace running costs.

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Questions people ask

How much does it cost to run a garage heater?

Read the power or gas input rating on your heater first. Use the matching table for your town, then allow for the hours the heater actually runs. These examples include usage charges and tax. Daily charges remain on your bill. Your own plan can change the energy part.

Does a gas garage heater give the same heat as an electric heater?

Compare heat output rather than the input numbers alone. Electric resistance heat turns its electrical input into heat. A gas heater’s useful heat depends on its input and efficiency. Read both ratings on its label or manual. Equal input does not mean equal heat.

Will my garage heater run all day?

Running time depends on insulation, outdoor temperature, door use and the thermostat setting. Hours with the power available are different from hours actually heating. For gas, count burner time. Use the longer table rows as illustrations of sustained use. Compare your own winter bills to understand your garage’s demand.

Does the running cost include installing a garage heater?

The tables cover extra energy use while heating. Installation, equipment and permit costs are separate. Ask your municipality or permit agency which permits and inspections apply before starting work. Get an installation quote for your garage and supply. Keep fixed account charges separate when comparing ongoing energy costs.

Sources

Written by the BillRobin team. Updated .

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