How To Use SEER And SEER2 To Choose The Right Air Conditioner For Your Home
Credit: Homeowner.ca
Air conditioning used to be an occasional luxury in many parts of Canada. Now, longer and hotter summers in regions like southern Ontario, the Prairies, and parts of British Columbia mean central and ductless systems are running more often—and that can show up quickly on your electricity bill. Recent data suggests Canadian households pay on the order of 16–19 cents per kilowatt‑hour (kWh) on average for electricity, with one analysis of national rates putting the figure at CAD 0.168/kWh for households in March 2025 according to GlobalPetrolPrices’ Canada electricity price index, while a separate provincial breakdown reports a higher all‑in average of about 19.2 cents/kWh when territories are included as summarized in Powerhornet’s provincial electricity bill breakdown. Those numbers make AC efficiency more than just a technical detail—it’s a line item in your household budget.
Canada’s electricity is relatively clean by global standards, with roughly 60% of generation coming from hydro and about 80% from non‑emitting sources overall, as outlined in the Electricity sector in Canada overview. That means every kilowatt‑hour you save by choosing an efficient air conditioner can reduce both your operating costs and, in many provinces, your environmental footprint.
The challenge for homeowners is that AC efficiency is wrapped in acronyms: SEER, SEER2, EER, HSPF, ENERGY STAR, EnerGuide. At the centre of this alphabet soup is SEER: the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Natural Resources Canada clearly states that the energy efficiency of a central air conditioner is measured by its SEER rating and that higher SEER means a more efficient model, a message echoed in Natural Resources Canada’s EnerGuide guidance for central air conditioners. For most Canadian households, understanding SEER (and SEER2) is the single most important step in choosing an efficient system.
This guide from Homeowner.ca walks you through what SEER and SEER2 actually measure, how they show up on Canadian labels, what they mean in dollars and cents across different provinces, and how to pick a rating that fits your home—not just your neighbour’s. We’ll stay out of engineering weeds, focus on real‑world decisions, and use Canadian data wherever possible.
