Utility Costs in Victoria, BC: BC Hydro, FortisBC Gas, Oil Tanks and Water
Quick answer
A Victoria apartment renter typically pays $125–$145 a month for BC Hydro and internet, or about $205–$250 in winter if the baseboard heat is on their meter. A house with FortisBC gas heat runs $350–$435 in an average month and $400–$515 in January.
| Utility | Apartment / condo | House (gas heat) |
|---|---|---|
| BC Hydro | $45–$64 ($125–$169 with baseboard heat in winter) | $95–$125 |
| Heat | Usually in rent, or on hydro | FortisBC: $40 summer, ~$119 avg, $172–$199 January |
| Water + sewer (usage) | Usually in rent | $56–$112 |
| Internet | From $80 | From $80 |
| Total per month | $125–$145 | $350–$435 ($400–$515 Jan) |
Victoria has the mildest winter of any Canadian city, so heating rarely shocks people the way it does in Regina or Ottawa. The bigger variable is what heats the place. Walk down a street in Fernwood or Oak Bay and you'll find gas furnaces, electric baseboards, newer heat pumps and old oil furnaces side by side. Each one produces a very different bill.
BC Hydro's two-step rate
BC Hydro bills every two months on a two-step rate. From April 1, 2026:
- Basic charge: 23.44¢ a day, about $7 a month.
- Step 1: 11.87¢ per kWh for the first 1,376 kWh in a two-month bill (about 675–690 kWh a month).
- Step 2: 14.08¢ per kWh for everything above that.
A one-bedroom without electric heat (300–450 kWh a month) pays roughly $45–$64 with GST. Once baseboards are running in December, usage of 900 to 1,200 kWh a month tips well into Step 2, and the bill climbs to about $125–$169. A house heated entirely by electricity or a heat pump that's working hard can use 1,500 to 2,000 kWh in January, which comes to about $213–$287.
If the house has gas: FortisBC
Vancouver Island now pays the same FortisBC residential rates as the Mainland. As of July 1, 2026:
- Basic charge of $0.4216 a day.
- Delivery of $8.469 per GJ.
- Storage and transport of $2.472 per GJ.
- Cost of gas of $1.660 per GJ (held unchanged on October 1).
FortisBC's own example of an average customer using 8 GJ a month comes to $113.88 before tax. A gas-heated Victoria house might use 2 GJ in a summer month (about $40) and 12 to 14 GJ in January (about $172–$199 with GST). Victoria's mild winters mean many houses use less than FortisBC's province-wide average.
The oil tank question
Oil heat is more common in Greater Victoria than in most of BC, especially in pre-1970s houses. An old BC Stats survey found oil was the main heating fuel for about one in five Victoria households, against about one in seventeen province-wide. Many have since converted, but you'll still find tanks in basements and buried in yards.
Oil is delivered by private companies at market prices, so there's no regulated rate to look up. Ask for last winter's delivery invoices instead.
Before renting or buying with an oil tank: The City of Victoria says underground oil tanks have an average lifespan of 15 to 25 years and warns that insurance may not cover the cost of cleaning up a leak. Ask the age and location of the tank, and whether it has been inspected. Homeowners looking to switch should note that CleanBC reduced its oil-to-heat-pump rebates on July 6, 2026, and a new federal heat pump rebate was announced in October 2026 for early 2027.
Water comes every four months
The City of Victoria measures water in "units" of 2,832 litres (100 cubic feet). 2026 rates per unit:
- Water: $5.49.
- City sewer: $2.93 from October to May, $2.05 from June to September.
- Regional (CRD) sewer: $7.51 from October to May, $5.26 in summer.
That's about $5.62 per cubic metre in winter and $4.52 in summer. A house using 10 to 20 m³ a month pays roughly $56–$112 a month in usage charges, plus fixed meter charges. Because bills arrive every four months, that shows up as one $200–$450 bill three times a year. Find out in advance whether you or the landlord pays it.
If the place is in Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, View Royal or Langford, it's a different municipality with its own rates and billing. A "Victoria" address isn't always City of Victoria utilities.
Internet
Telus PureFibre and Rogers (the former Shaw network) are the main wired options. In 2026, Telus listed PureFibre 500 at $80 a month on a 24-month term in BC, with faster tiers costing more. Rogers prices vary by promotion.
Questions to ask a Victoria landlord
- Heat type: Gas furnace, baseboards, heat pump or oil? If oil, who pays for deliveries?
- Meter setup: In a suite, is the BC Hydro meter mine alone, or is power split with the main house? How is it split?
- The four-month water bill: Who pays it, and what did the last one cost?
- Heat pump: If there's a heat pump, does it also cool in summer? That changes August hydro.
- Municipality: Which municipality is this address in? That decides your water and garbage rates.
- Damp and drafts: Older Victoria houses can be damp in winter. Ask about dehumidifiers and window condition, both of which affect the hydro bill.
BC tenancy rules: A landlord can collect a security deposit of no more than half a month's rent, and a pet damage deposit of up to another half month. BC tenancy agreements must be in writing and include the standard terms set by the Residential Tenancy Branch, including which utilities are part of the rent.
Victoria utility bill FAQ
How much is BC Hydro for an apartment in Victoria?
On the April 2026 rates, a one-bedroom using 300 to 450 kWh a month pays about $45–$64 including GST. If the apartment heats with baseboards on your meter, winter months at 900 to 1,200 kWh run about $125–$169.
How often does the City of Victoria send water bills?
Every four months for water, sewer and garbage, in four billing groups. Stormwater is billed once a year, around mid-November. Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt and the West Shore municipalities run their own billing and rates.
Should I worry about renting a house with oil heat in Victoria?
Ask questions rather than walk away. Find out who pays for oil deliveries and what last winter cost, how old the tank is, and whether it's above ground. The City notes underground tanks typically last 15 to 25 years and that insurance may not cover a leak cleanup.
What deposit can a landlord charge in BC?
Up to half a month's rent as a security deposit, plus up to half a month's rent as a pet damage deposit if you have a pet. Nothing else can be required as a deposit.
More on BC living costs
Vancouver's condo-heavy rental market leads to a different set of bills; see Vancouver utility costs for renters. For a province-by-province view, see electricity bills by province and heating costs in Canada.
Sources and how we estimated
- Electricity: BC Utilities Commission residential rates and BC Hydro tiered rate.
- Natural gas: FortisBC residential rates, effective July 1, 2026.
- Water and sewer: City of Victoria utility rates and billing.
- Oil tanks: City of Victoria; heating fuel share from a BC Stats household survey (2003 data); federal rebate via pv magazine.
- Internet: Telus pricing compiled by Topicks, 2026.
- Deposits: BC Residential Tenancy Branch.
- Usage levels are our assumptions as stated; electricity and gas figures include 5% GST.
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