Electric Fireplace Cost to Run in Ontario: Hourly Costs and Safety Tips
With the heat on high at 1,500 watts, an electric fireplace uses 1.5 kWh an hour. At Ontario's off-peak price from November 1, 2026, that is about 13.7 cents an hour for electricity, before delivery charges and HST. The flame on its own costs far less.
Key takeaways
- A 1,500 W heater uses 1.5 kWh an hour on its high setting.
- At Ontario's off-peak TOU price that is about 13.7 cents an hour for electricity alone.
- Weekday evenings after 7 pm and weekends are off-peak in winter, the cheapest Time-of-Use hours.
- Your bill adds delivery, regulatory charges and HST, so the full cost is higher than the electricity price.
- Safety: plug straight into a wall outlet and keep the front clear by about 1 m (3 ft).
How much does an electric fireplace cost to run in Ontario?
With the heater on its high setting, a typical plug-in electric fireplace uses 1,500 watts, which is 1.5 kWh in one hour. At the Ontario Energy Board's off-peak Time-of-Use price from November 1, 2026, that is about 13.7 cents an hour for the electricity. On a lower heat setting, or with just the flame, it costs less.
The formula works for any fireplace or heater:
Hourly cost at Ontario electricity prices
These are the Regulated Price Plan prices set by the Ontario Energy Board, in effect from November 1, 2026, with the winter Time-of-Use hours. Homes on the Regulated Price Plan pay one of these three price plans.
| Price plan | When | Price per kWh | 1 hour at 1,500 W | 1 hour at 750 W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time-of-Use, off-peak | Weekdays 7 pm–7 am, weekends and holidays | 9.1¢ | 13.7¢ | 6.8¢ |
| Time-of-Use, mid-peak | Weekdays 11 am–5 pm | 14.6¢ | 21.9¢ | 11.0¢ |
| Time-of-Use, on-peak | Weekdays 7–11 am and 5–7 pm | 18.9¢ | 28.4¢ | 14.2¢ |
| Ultra-Low Overnight | Every day 11 pm–7 am | 3.7¢ | 5.6¢ | 2.8¢ |
| Ultra-Low Overnight, on-peak | Weekdays 4–9 pm | 37.7¢ | 56.6¢ | 28.3¢ |
| Tiered, tier 1 | First 1,000 kWh a month (winter, homes) | 11.2¢ | 16.8¢ | 8.4¢ |
| Tiered, tier 2 | Above 1,000 kWh a month | 13.2¢ | 19.8¢ | 9.9¢ |
What this does not include: your bill also has delivery and regulatory charges, HST and the Ontario Electricity Rebate, so the full cost of each kWh is different from the price above. Check the plan and charges on your own electricity bill for an exact figure.
For example, a weekday evening with the heat on high from 7 to 11 pm is all off-peak: 4 hours × 1.5 kWh × 9.1¢ = about $0.55 in electricity.
How can you keep the cost down?
- Use the flame on its own when you only want the look. The flame effect uses lights, which draw far less than the heater.
- Use the lower heat setting once the room is warm.
- Time it: on Time-of-Use, weekday evenings after 7 pm and weekends are off-peak in winter.
- Avoid the Ultra-Low Overnight peak: on that plan, weekdays 4 to 9 pm are the most expensive hours.
- Heat the room you use: close the door and turn the heater off when you leave.
Is it cheaper than turning up the heat?
It depends on how your home is heated. An electric fireplace turns electricity into heat in the room you are sitting in, so it can save money if you turn the thermostat down for the rest of the house and warm just the living room. If your home heats with natural gas, the furnace is usually cheaper per unit of heat for the whole house, so the saving comes only from heating less space. If your home already uses electric baseboard heaters, an electric fireplace costs about the same per unit of heat, and the benefit is warmth where you sit and the look of a fire.
Are electric fireplaces safe?
Electric fireplaces have no real flame, no gas and no smoke, which makes them one of the simplest ways to add warmth to a room. Like any electric heater, they still need care:
- Plug it straight into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power bar.
- Do not share the circuit with another heater or a high-power appliance while the heat is on.
- Keep about 1 m (3 ft) in front clear of curtains, blankets, paper and anything else that can burn.
- Never cover the heat outlet or put a throw over the unit.
- Turn the heat off when you leave the room, go out or go to bed.
- Check your smoke alarms. Ontario law requires working smoke alarms on every storey of a home and outside sleeping areas.
- Watch children and pets near the heat outlet, and follow the manual.
Shop the look
Our electric fireplace TV stand
Our Turkish Electric Fireplace TV Stand is 180 x 40 x 50 cm, in cream with gold-finish legs, for $500 CAD before HST. We do not list its exact power rating online, so please ask our team for the heat and flame settings of our model. Our electric fireplace TV stand guide covers power and styling, our TV stand size chart shows which TVs fit, and our FAQ answers questions about delivery and payment.
See the fireplace in our Hamilton showroom
See the flame effect and the stand in person at Home Centre Green, 110 Lancing Dr, Unit 2, Hamilton, ON L8W 3A1, with free parking outside. Stock is limited, so call to check it is available.
We are open Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. We are closed on Sundays. Call or WhatsApp us on (905) 253-0202, or send us a message.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an electric fireplace cost to run per hour in Ontario?
With the heater on high at 1,500 watts, it uses 1.5 kWh an hour. At the Ontario Energy Board prices from November 1, 2026, that is about 13.7 cents an hour off-peak and about 28.4 cents on-peak on Time-of-Use, for the electricity alone. Delivery charges and HST on your bill add to this.
Is it cheaper to run an electric fireplace or turn up the heat?
It depends on how your home is heated. An electric fireplace warms only the room you are in, so it can save money if you turn the thermostat down for the rest of the house. If your home heats with natural gas, the furnace is usually cheaper per unit of heat for the whole house.
Are electric fireplaces safe?
Electric fireplaces have no real flame, gas or smoke, which makes them a simple way to add warmth. Use them safely: plug straight into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power bar, keep about 1 m in front clear of anything that can burn, and turn the heat off when you leave the room.
Does the flame effect use a lot of electricity?
No. The flame effect uses lights, which draw far less power than the heater, so an evening with just the flame costs much less than one with the heat on. Check the power rating of each setting in your fireplace's manual, or ask our team about our model.
Can I leave an electric fireplace on overnight?
It is safer not to. Turn the heater off when you go to bed or leave the house, and follow the manual. Make sure you have working smoke alarms, which Ontario law requires on every storey of a home and outside sleeping areas.
Home Centre Green Design Team
The team behind our Hamilton showroom. We help customers choose Turkish-made sofas, beds and carpets every day, and we write these guides to answer the questions we hear most in store.
