Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) have limited market share in Canada and the United States largely due to their space cooling effect which increases heating costs throughout winters in these countries. Coupling a HPWH with solar collectors lessens the space cooling effect during cold-climate heating seasons while also improving HPWH performance year-round in cold and moderate climates. This study experimentally and numerically examined air-based solar collectors and their impact on HPWHs with the objective of determining the feasibility of solar assisted HPWHs in Canada and the United States in terms of energy performance, greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions, and economics. The results indicate that the space cooling effect of HPWHs can be mitigated by coupling the HPWH with a solar collector in all configurations studied. The locations with the best energy, GHG reductions, and economic performance are indicated, including financial subsidies that could be introduced to increase economic feasibility.