Geothermal System Cost in Quebec (2026): Prices, LogisVert & Quotes

Researched and reviewed by the GeothermalFinder Editorial Team

Quick answer: Hydro-Québec currently says a geothermal system for a typical Quebec home can cost C$20,000 to C$40,000. Treat that as an official planning range, not a guaranteed quote: capacity, a new or reusable ground loop, drilling or excavation, distribution, electrical work, permits and restoration still change the price. Hydro-Québec's LogisVert assistance can then reduce the qualifying owner balance, with different rates for a new full installation and a replacement heat pump.

All prices on this page are Canadian dollars. This guide was last source-checked on July 28, 2026. Program approval and a contractor's site design—not a provincial average—determine the real net price.

Lire ce guide en français  |  Find listed geothermal installers in Quebec  |  Estimate a Quebec project in CAD

What does a geothermal system cost in Quebec?

A useful Quebec quote separates the ground loop from the indoor heat-pump equipment. A completely new installation must fund the boreholes or trenches, earth-loop pipe and grout, headers, interior equipment, electrical work, distribution changes and restoration. Replacing an end-of-life heat pump while retaining a properly sized, serviceable loop is a different and usually smaller project.

How LogisVert changes the Quebec net cost

LogisVert has separate paths because installing a complete new geothermal system is not the same job as replacing only the heat pump connected to an existing ground loop.

New qualifying geothermal installation

Hydro-Québec's installer stream lists assistance of C$750 per 1,000 BTU/h. For a single-family house, the published cap is C$54,000, equivalent to 72,000 BTU/h or 6 tons. The participating installation company deducts the assistance from the invoice. Hydro-Québec says replacement of a heat pump without the required drilling work is not eligible under this new-installation measure.

Replacement of an existing geothermal heat pump

The residential replacement path pays C$250 per 1,000 BTU/h, capped at C$18,000 per address for a house. The heat pump being replaced must be at the end of its service life or no longer under warranty and must have served heating and air conditioning. The new equipment must connect to the heating and cooling system, and the existing geothermal wells must have enough capacity for all installed heat pumps.

Transparent 4-ton examples

One refrigeration ton equals 12,000 BTU/h, so a 4-ton system is 48,000 BTU/h.

• New qualifying installation: 48 × C$750 = C$36,000 in program arithmetic.
• Qualifying replacement: 48 × C$250 = C$12,000 in program arithmetic.

Those figures do not tell you the project price and do not guarantee approval. A bidder should show the full price before assistance, the exact eligible capacity, the LogisVert amount it expects to deduct and the remaining homeowner balance. Do not compare one contractor's net price with another contractor's gross price.

What changes the final Quebec quote?

1. A new loop versus reuse of an existing loop

Drilling or excavating a new ground loop can be one of the largest project costs. A replacement project may reuse an existing field only if its capacity, condition and configuration suit the new equipment. Require the contractor to document how the existing loop was evaluated rather than assuming it can be reused.

2. Vertical boreholes versus horizontal trenches

Horizontal loops need more usable land and substantial excavation. Vertical loops fit a smaller area but add drilling, grout, bore records and specialized access. Rock, groundwater, urban setbacks, drill-rig access, spoils handling and restoration can move the final price.

3. Heating load and equipment capacity

Because LogisVert assistance is capacity-based, homeowners have an extra reason to insist on a defensible load calculation. Capacity should follow the home's heat loss and cooling needs—not the size that produces the largest subsidy. Ask for the calculation, selected design temperatures and backup-heat assumptions.

4. Building distribution and electrical work

Confirm whether the quote includes ducts or hydronic distribution, electrical-panel changes, circulation pumps, controls, domestic-hot-water options, old-equipment removal, balancing and commissioning. Hydro-Québec requires electrical work to be completed by an appropriately licensed electrical contractor.

Quebec contractor licences and municipal authorization

Hydro-Québec requires the installation company to be registered with the Registraire des entreprises du Québec and hold the appropriate Régie du bâtiment du Québec licences. The heating portion requires one of these combinations:

• 15.1 — forced-air heating systems, or 15.4 — hydronic heating systems; and
• 15.9 — small refrigeration systems, or 15.10 — refrigeration.

Electrical work must be completed by an electrical contractor holding subclass 16. For a turnkey contract, confirm which licensed company is responsible for each part of the project and that every licence is valid before paying a deposit.

Quebec places the application of the relevant groundwater-protection rules for smaller geothermal systems with municipalities. The province says a municipality may require authorization for a system that withdraws groundwater and for a geothermal system that does not. Ask the contractor to identify the municipal permit, water-withdrawal requirements if applicable, inspections and completion documents in writing.

Can Rénoclimat be added to LogisVert?

Do not automatically stack old program amounts. Quebec's current Rénoclimat conditions say the installation, replacement or repair of a heat pump or geothermal system is not eligible under that program and direct homeowners toward LogisVert. Other envelope improvements may have their own support, but they should be shown separately from the geothermal equipment calculation.

Will geothermal lower heating costs in Quebec?

Hydro-Québec says its geothermal measure can reduce heating costs, but a percentage is not a guarantee for a specific home. The result depends on the old heating system, the home's heat loss, equipment and loop design, circulation-pump energy, backup heat, operating temperatures and occupant settings.

Natural Resources Canada says ground-source systems can save roughly 65% compared with an electric furnace and average about 10% to 20% more savings than a best-in-class cold-climate air-source heat pump. Compare both options when the property is constrained or the upfront owner balance matters most.

How to compare Quebec geothermal quotes

Request at least three written proposals using the same assumptions. Each should show:

• the home's heat-loss and heat-gain calculation;
• the exact heat-pump model, capacity and performance certificate;
• a new or reused ground loop and the evidence supporting that choice;
• bore or trench quantities, pipe, grout and design temperatures;
• the RBQ licence holder responsible for heating, refrigeration and electrical work;
• municipal authorization, groundwater approvals and required records;
• ductwork or hydronic distribution, electrical work, controls and backup heat;
• excavation, soil handling, landscaping and surface restoration;
• the gross price, LogisVert path, eligible capacity, expected assistance and net owner balance;
• tax, warranties, allowances and every exclusion.

Start with the Quebec geothermal cost estimator, then compare listed Quebec installers. Use the same checklist so subsidy presentation cannot hide a difference in project scope.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a geothermal system cost in Quebec?

Hydro-Québec currently puts a typical-home geothermal system at C$20,000 to C$40,000. Treat that as a planning range rather than a quote. New-loop construction, equipment capacity, drilling or excavation, distribution work, electrical work, permits and restoration determine the gross price; LogisVert then changes the qualifying net amount.

How much is the Quebec geothermal grant in 2026?

LogisVert lists C$750 per 1,000 BTU/h for a qualifying new installation through the installer stream, capped at C$54,000 for a house. A qualifying replacement heat pump receives C$250 per 1,000 BTU/h, capped at C$18,000.

What would LogisVert pay on a 4-ton geothermal system?

Four tons is 48,000 BTU/h. The published-rate calculation is C$36,000 for a qualifying new full installation or C$12,000 for a qualifying replacement. Eligibility, program path and final capacity must still be confirmed.

Does a Quebec geothermal contractor need an RBQ licence?

Yes. The appropriate heating and refrigeration subclasses are required, and electrical work must be completed by a subclass-16 electrical contractor. Verify each licence before signing.

Do I need a municipal permit for geothermal in Quebec?

Possibly. Municipalities apply the relevant provincial geothermal and groundwater-protection rules and may require authorization for systems with or without groundwater withdrawal. Confirm locally before work starts.

Sources and methodology

This guide prioritizes current Hydro-Québec and Quebec government sources: Hydro-Québec’s C$20,000-to-C$40,000 typical-home planning range, LogisVert's installation-company and residential replacement paths, the participant guide, Quebec municipal authorization guidance and current Rénoclimat exclusions. Program rates are presented as capacity-based arithmetic, never as a guaranteed approval or substitute for a complete quote.