Does my New Brunswick company have to be bilingual?

The province's Official Languages Act concerns government services; according to the Commissioner's office it doesn't require private businesses to be bilingual. Many customers will still appreciate service in French, especially in the north and southeast, so it can be a real marketing advantage.

Who licenses heating-related trades in New Brunswick?

Technical Inspection Services, part of the Department of Public Safety, covers boilers and pressure vessels, plumbing, electrical, propane and natural gas installations and related licensing. Check its pages directly for your situation.

Are oil-to-heat-pump grants still available in New Brunswick?

As of October 2026, registration for the co-delivered oil-to-heat-pump program closed on 30 June 2026. Save Energy NB still lists other home energy programs; check its site for what's currently open.

Starting a Heating Company in New Brunswick

New Brunswick is a good place for a new heating company with a clear specialty. Heat pumps are already the primary heating system in more than a quarter of homes, electricity heats many more, and the cities are big enough to support a new name but small enough that reputation travels fast. It's also Canada's only officially bilingual province, which affects how you might shape a brand even though private businesses aren't required to be bilingual.

We help with the name, the brand and the launch marketing. Licensing and permits are between you and the provincial authorities linked below.

New Brunswick's heating market for a newcomer

Heat pumps and electricity lead. Statistics Canada reports that in 2023, heat pumps were the primary heating system for 27% of New Brunswick households, electricity was the primary energy for 39% and wood for 6%. Oil remains in older and rural homes.

That points to a few strong positions for a newcomer:

Heat pump installation and service, especially maintenance for the many systems already installed.
Oil-to-electric conversions, where your licences and training allow it.
Wood and hybrid systems in rural areas, a smaller niche with fewer competitors.

Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton are the three big centres, with Miramichi and Edmundston anchoring the north. Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview act as one market; a new company there can cover all three if it can reach them quickly.

Climate and seasonality

Winters are cold and snowy, colder inland and in the north than along the Bay of Fundy. In practice:

Heat pump maintenance and pre-winter checks are a strong early-autumn offer.
Cold snaps bring repair calls for heat pumps struggling in deep cold, and for backup systems.
Spring and summer are the natural time to sell new installations, when homeowners can compare quotes calmly.

English, French and your brand

Language is a branding question here, not a legal one for most private businesses. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages explains that the Act gives people the right to provincial government services in either language and doesn't require private businesses to be bilingual.

Even so, a new company serving Moncton, Dieppe, Edmundston or the Acadian Peninsula should think about:

A name that's easy to say in both languages.
A website with French pages if you can serve customers in French.
Replying to French reviews in French.

Authorities to look up before you open

Confirm your obligations directly:

Technical Inspection Services: boilers and pressure vessels, plumbing, electrical, propane and natural gas installations, and related contractor licensing.
Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification: trade certification, including the province's compulsory certification occupations.
WorkSafeNB: workplace safety and compensation.
Corporate Registry of New Brunswick: business registration through Service New Brunswick.
Financial and Consumer Services Commission: consumer protection.

Programs your customers will ask about

As of October 2026, Save Energy NB, run by NB Power, lists the Total Home Energy Savings Program for renovations including heating, and an income-qualified Enhanced Energy Savings Program. The co-delivered oil-to-heat-pump program closed to registration on 30 June 2026, with upgrades to be finished by 31 March 2027. New Brunswick had no federal Greener Homes Affordability agreement as of the same date.

For a new company, a short, dated page explaining these programs and linking to Save Energy NB is useful. Tell customers to confirm current terms with NB Power.

How we'd launch a new heating company in New Brunswick

Choose a specialty, such as heat pump installation and maintenance, and make it obvious in the name. See naming and brand.
Build a launch website with French pages if you can serve French-speaking customers.
Verify your Google profile and ask every early customer for a review in their language.
Run modest paid search around your city, adjusted by season.

See the areas overview for Nova Scotia and PEI, or start with the launch checklist.

Starting a heating company in New Brunswick