On-demand heat for the damp winters along the Bay of Fundy.

Most installs run $6,000 to $15,000 CAD. A direct-vent insert going into an existing masonry firebox with a gas line already nearby lands toward the low end—common in older homes around the Saint John Region that started out with a wood fireplace. A new built-in unit for an addition or renovation, with fresh gas piping and venting through an exterior wall, runs toward the top of that range. Confirming Liberty Utilities service to your specific street before you budget avoids surprises.

Liberty Utilities, operating under the Gas NB brand, does run service into Westmorland Heights and the surrounding Saint John Region, so most addresses here can tie into natural gas rather than relying on a propane tank. That said, coverage in New Brunswick tends to follow served corridors rather than blanketing every street, so it's worth confirming the line reaches your actual address before committing to a natural gas unit over propane. Either fuel works in the same fireplace models a local dealer carries; propane is simply the fallback for properties sitting outside the served corridor.

Yes, and it's a common request in a region where sugar maple and yellow birch fireplaces were standard for decades. A gas insert typically slides into the existing masonry firebox with a stainless liner run up the current chimney, usually landing in the $6,000-$9,500 CAD range depending on chimney condition and whether you're on natural gas or propane. If your current fireplace has never had a WETT inspection or a CSA B365 review, converting to gas resolves the safety question and the annual firewood chore in the same project.

Most will, which matters in a coastal community that sees its share of nor'easters and Bay of Fundy storm surges knock out NB Power service for hours at a time. Units with intermittent pilot ignition run on AA battery backup that kicks in automatically when the power drops. Some models, like those from Valor, skip the battery altogether because the pilot's thermocouple generates its own current. Ask your dealer which ignition system is on any model you're considering if outage resilience matters to your household.

Yes. You'll need a permit through the municipal building department, and the gas line work itself has to be done by a licensed gas fitter under CSA B365 rules. Most dealers working in the Saint John Region handle both the permit application and the final inspection as part of the project, so you're not coordinating the building department and a separate gas contractor on your own.

Direct-vent units pull combustion air from outside and exhaust it back outside through sealed venting, which most dealers recommend by default in a damp, salt-air environment like Westmorland Heights. Vent-free units burn into the room and carry stricter room-sizing rules, and the extra indoor humidity they release isn't ideal in a climate that already deals with moist Bay of Fundy air working into building envelopes. For a coastal New Brunswick home, direct-vent is the more common and generally the safer call.

Plan on an annual check, ideally by early fall before the first hard frost rather than mid-winter when technicians are booked solid across the Saint John Region. A technician checks the burner, pilot assembly, gas connections, and venting, and cleans the glass. Salt air near the Fundy coast can accelerate corrosion on exterior venting components, so a yearly look is worth it even on a newer unit. Expect roughly $150-$250 CAD for a standard visit.

Wood still runs cheap here: DNRED issues household cutting permits for sugar maple, yellow birch, and white spruce at $6.10 per cubic metre, about $85 for a full 14 cubic metre allotment, and New Brunswick's deep firewood culture means most people already know how to season and stack it. Gas wins on convenience, especially on the mornings nobody wants to deal with a damp woodpile after a Fundy storm rolled through overnight. A lot of households in the region keep both: a gas unit for daily use in the main living space, and a wood stove or fireplace elsewhere as backup for extended NB Power outages.

With winter lows averaging -13.3°C and a raw, damp cold that cuts deeper than the number suggests, most Westmorland Heights living rooms do well with a mid-size direct-vent unit rated for 1,200 to 2,000 square feet rather than a small decorative model. Homes with open-concept main floors or higher ceilings, common in newer construction around the Saint John Region, often need the top of that range or a second zone unit. A local dealer will size it against your actual floor plan and insulation rather than square footage alone.

Most modern gas fireplaces can—turn it on and off from the couch with a remote, or set a room temperature and let the fireplace hold the comfort zone for you. If low maintenance matters to your family, this is the feature set that makes gas the convenience pick over wood and pellet.

Because a fireplace is an iceberg—there's more behind the wall than in front of it. A low quote often covers only the unit; the full scope includes vent pipe, gas line or electrical, framing, and the tile or stone that has to come off and go back on. Make every bidder price the whole job. If a dealer can't speak to the full scope with confidence, that's your signal to keep looking.

Ask three questions: Is it ugly? Is it drafty? Does it actually work? Most old fireplaces fail at least two. Beyond looks, an old unit leaks air around the damper year-round and—if it's gas with a standing pilot—quietly burns a couple hundred dollars a year. A modern replacement seals the wall, heats the room, and changes how the whole space gets used.

In most jurisdictions, yes—fireplace and stove installations involve venting, clearances, and often gas or electrical work that gets permitted and inspected. That's a feature, not a hassle: the inspection protects your family and your homeowner's insurance. A professional installer pulls the permit, installs to code, and stands behind the inspection. If someone suggests skipping it, keep looking.