【Objective】The characteristics of the changes in thermal resources in Heilongjiang Province and their effects on the growth of rice at different stages of development were defined. It would provide scientific basis for understanding and assessing the impact of climate change on rice production.【Method】The data of ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature, daily maximum temperature,daily minimum temperature,rice growth stages and yields from 1974-2016 were collected from 28 agricultural meteorological stations. The methods such as linear propensity estimation and correlation analysis were used to analysis the space-temporal changes of thermal resources at different rice growth stages and their responses to rice growth and yield in Heilongjiang Province.【Result】During the growing period of rice,the thermal resources such as ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature,daily maximum temperature and daily minimum temperature showed an increasing trend,which increased from north to south and from east to west in space. The length of rice growth period gradually increased,but the vegetative and reproductive growth stage was shortened. There were extremely significant correlations between reproductive growth duration and ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature at reproductive growth stage,between vegetative and reproductive growth duration and ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature at vegetative growth and reproductive growth stage,between vegetative growth duration and the minimum and maximum temperatures of vegetative growth stage,between meteorological output and ≥10 ℃ accumulated temperature of vegetative and reproductive growth stage and minimum temperature at vegetative growth stage(P<0.01). The correlation coefficients were -0.719,0.712,-0.606,-0.501, 0.537 and 0.554 respectively. There were significant positive correlations between vegetative growth duration and meteorological output and minimum temperature of vegetative growth stage,maximum temperature of reproductive growth stage, and maximum temperature of vegetative growth stage(P<0.05),and the correlation coefficients were 0.337,0.318, 0.374 and 0.349 respectively.【Conclusion】The thermal resources are increasing during 1974-2016 in Heilongjiang Province, which is beneficial for rice production and eventually improve the rice yield increase.