COVID-19: Time-of-Use Rates Suspended for 45 Days

Mar 24, 2020

The Government of Ontario is providing temporary 45-day emergency relief to support
Ontarians impacted by the global COVID-19 outbreak. As of Tuesday, March 24,
2020, households, farms and small businesses who pay time-of-use electricity rates
will be charged off-peak rates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Q&A

Q1. What is being done to support households and businesses with increased
electricity usage during this COVID-19 outbreak?

For electricity consumed starting at 12:00 a.m. EST on Tuesday, March 24, 2020,
households, farms and small businesses paying TOU electricity rates will be charged the
lowest price, known as the off-peak electricity rate, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Q2. How is this being implemented? Do ratepayers need to take any action in order to
receive the off-peak pricing?

No action is required by electricity consumers: this change will be applied automatically for
everyone paying time-of-use rates, for electricity consumed starting at 12:00 a.m. EST on
March 24, 2020.

Depending on billing cycles, some ratepayers will see these changes on their next electricity
bill.

Q3. How will this appear on bills?

Ratepayers will automatically see the lower rate reflected on electricity bills in the next billing
cycle. The off-peak rate will be shown as the rate for all three TOU periods.

Q4. How long will this be in place?

It is the government’s intention that off-peak pricing for TOU customers will be in effect for 45
days.

Q5. How much will RPP customers save with this change?

The estimated impact on the average monthly residential bill is $16.13, or $24.20 over the
45-day period, but will depend on a customer’s total consumption and consumption
behaviours.

The estimated impact on the average monthly small business bill, for RPP customers with a
monthly consumption of 10,000 kWh could see a reduction of $308 on a monthly bill or $462
over the 45-day period.

Q6. Will tiered rate customers also be receiving the lower rate?

All TOU customers (including residential, farms and small businesses) would receive
the pricing change. These are the customers that see the greatest increase in cost due to
being home during the day.

Most Regulated Price Plan (RPP) consumers pay TOU prices, the rest of RPP customers pay
tiered prices. There are approximately 5 million residential consumers, farms and some small
businesses billed TOU electricity prices under the RPP.

This pricing change would not apply to RPP customers who pay tiered rates. It would also not
apply to consumers who have opted out of RPP to sign a contract with an electricity retailer.

Scam Alert

Mar 12, 2020

A number of our customers have received unsolicited phone calls from companies offering home audits.

Unless you have registered for the Home Assistance Program or the Affordability Fund, you should not receive a random call from someone offering a home audit.

Should you receive a phone call of this nature, please feel free to call our office at 613.732.3687 and we will be happy to answer or address any of your questions or concerns.