The climate’s impact on heating requirements is measured in Heating Degree-Days (HDD), which are calculated to be roughly the average difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures for every day, summed for each day in the year. The North has far more Heating Degree-Days than the rest of Canada, creating a higher demand and adding to the challenge of transporting fuel to remote communities.  

Although heating oil is by far the most common form of energy used, the Northwest Territories is an acknowledged leader in biomass heating, with a growing number of users in the South Slave and North Slave regions. Propane is used in smaller proportions in communities with all-season roads. Cord wood is used for heating throughout the NWT below the tree-line and driftwood is used sporadically in some of the High Arctic communities.

Read more about Heating in the NWT.