Calculate exactly what your indoor grow costs in hydro — by province, by device, by month. Know your numbers before you flip the switch.
| Province | Rate ($/kWh) | 300W light / month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $0.0984 | $15.94 | BC Hydro Tier 1 |
| Alberta | $0.1680 | $27.22 | Average regulated rate |
| Saskatchewan | $0.1630 | $26.41 | SaskPower average |
| Manitoba | $0.0994 | $16.1 | Manitoba Hydro |
| Ontario | $0.1720 | $27.86 | Mid-peak average (TOU) |
| Quebec | $0.0660 | $10.69 | Hydro-Québec Tier 1 |
| New Brunswick | $0.1283 | $20.78 | NB Power average |
| Nova Scotia | $0.1680 | $27.22 | Nova Scotia Power |
| Prince Edward Island | $0.1731 | $28.04 | Maritime Electric |
| Newfoundland | $0.1307 | $21.17 | Newfoundland Power |
| Yukon | $0.1390 | $22.52 | Yukon Energy |
| Northwest Territories | $0.3085 | $49.98 | NWT Power avg |
| Nunavut | $0.3750 | $60.75 | Qulliq Energy avg |
300W light estimate based on 18hrs/day. Rates are 2025 averages — check your utility bill for your exact rate. Quebec and Manitoba have the lowest rates in Canada; the territories are the highest.
A 300W LED running 18 hours/day costs $16–$29/month depending on your province. Quebec growers pay as little as $16/month while Ontario and Alberta growers pay $27–$28/month for the same setup. The electricity rate varies more than 3× between the cheapest province (Quebec at $0.066/kWh) and the most expensive territories. Use the calculator above to get the exact cost for your province and setup.
Quebec has the cheapest electricity in Canada at around $0.066/kWh — roughly half the rate of Ontario and Alberta. Manitoba is the second cheapest at $0.099/kWh. British Columbia is also competitive at $0.098/kWh for Tier 1 usage. If you're in Quebec or Manitoba, your grow room electricity costs will be significantly lower than the Canadian average. The territories (Northwest Territories and Nunavut) have the most expensive electricity, at over $0.30/kWh.
The biggest lever is your grow light — it typically represents 60–80% of your total grow room electricity use. Switching from HPS to a quality LED like the Mars Hydro FC series or Spider Farmer SE series reduces wattage by 30–50% while maintaining or improving yields. A smart controller like the AC Infinity Controller 69 Pro lets you schedule fan speed to reduce consumption during lights-off. Finally, a Kill A Watt meter ($35) lets you measure actual device draw — many devices pull significantly less or more than their rated wattage.
A typical 4×4 tent setup running a 400W light, fan, and humidifier adds roughly $35–60/month to your electricity bill in most Canadian provinces. This is noticeable on your bill but not dramatic — roughly equivalent to running a second refrigerator. In Ontario with time-of-use pricing, scheduling your lights to run during off-peak hours (nights and weekends) can reduce costs by 20–30% compared to running during peak hours.
Check your monthly utility bill — the rate per kWh is usually listed in the rate breakdown section. Ontario uses Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing with different rates for peak, mid-peak, and off-peak hours, so your effective rate depends on when you run your lights. BC Hydro has a tiered system where usage above 1,350 kWh/month moves to a higher Tier 2 rate. If you have a smart meter, your utility's app or website will show your detailed consumption and cost data.
Dial in every part of your grow.