Strategy sessions for HVAC owners in Newfoundland and Labrador

A long season on the island, a harder one in Labrador

On the island, winters are cool, wet and windy and the heating season runs long; Labrador's subarctic cold is in another league. For HVAC owners, that means heating work for most of the year, and very different conditions depending on where a crew is sent.

What it means in a session: a long season can disguise weak margins, because the schedule is rarely empty. Ali uses the pricing and margin session to check whether busy months are profitable months, especially for jobs that involve long drives along the coast or travel to Labrador.

An electric market with oil conversions

According to Statistics Canada, 64% of Newfoundland and Labrador households used electricity as their main heating energy in 2023, and 13% used oil.

For owners, the program to understand is the takeCHARGE Oil to Electric Incentive Program, a utility effort by Newfoundland Power and NL Hydro backed by both levels of government. As of October 2026 it lists up to $22,000 toward replacing oil or propane whole-home heat with an electric system such as a heat pump. What a household receives varies with income, household size and the equipment chosen, and the money goes to the participating installer rather than the homeowner. Funding is handled as budget allows, and no closing date is posted. takeCHARGE also lists rebates for insulation and air sealing. Confirm current terms directly with takeCHARGE.

What it means in a session: an incentive paid to the installer affects cash flow as well as sales. Ali helps owners understand how long they'll wait for payment, how much working capital that ties up, and what happens to the schedule if the budget runs out. The marketing budget session also covers how to promote a program without depending on it.

A worked example: the cash-flow gap

Suppose a conversion job is worth $16,000 and the incentive covers most of it, paid to your company after the paperwork clears. If you complete six such jobs in a month and wait several weeks for payment, close to $100,000 can be tied up in equipment and wages before the money arrives. For a small company, that's the difference between a good month and a cash crunch. Ali walks owners through how many incentive-paid jobs they can carry at once, and what to tell the bank or supplier before the busy period starts.

Regulators to know

Pressure systems such as boilers need permits and inspections through the province's boilers and pressure vessels office, and trade certification sits with the Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division. Workplace safety is handled by WorkplaceNL. Ali doesn't advise on permits, certification or compliance; go to the source.

The Newfoundland and Labrador business mix, and how Ali approaches it

St. John's and the surrounding communities of Conception Bay South, Paradise and Mount Pearl form the largest market. Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor, Gander and Happy Valley-Goose Bay anchor their own regions. Outside the Avalon, companies are usually small and serve wide areas, and the owner's personal reputation often is the brand.

Typical session topics here:

• Travel pricing: zone charges and minimums for calls far from base
• Program cash flow: planning for installer-paid incentives and the wait for payment
• Staffing: keeping trained techs who could earn more elsewhere, covered in the hiring and owner-time session
• Recurring revenue: maintenance plans for the many new heat pump owners

If you run an HVAC company in Newfoundland and Labrador, call, text or email Ali with your community and the decision you're facing. Ali works on Pacific time, so an afternoon message on the island will usually reach him in his morning. Other provinces are on the areas page.