UTILITY BILLS AND ENERGY ASSISTANCE
As soon as you know that you may have difficulty paying your bill, call the utility company (gas, electric, water, phone) to arrange a payment plan. Do NOT wait until you receive a shut-off notice.
Electricity and gas:
Electricity Price reduction Premier Doug Ford cut daytime electricity prices by about $20 monthly for the average household with so many Ontarians at home from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the COVID-19 crisis. The province is switching to the evening, overnight and weekend price of 10.1 cents per kilowatt hour for 45 days. https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9914850-ontario-reduces-daytime-price-of-electricity-during-coronavirus-crisis/
Ontario Energy Board offers help (emergency or ongoing) for consumers who are having trouble paying their bills.
https://www.oeb.ca/rates-and-your-bill/help-low-income-consumers
Emergency help may be available through the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) – You will need to contact the social service agency that is partnering with your provider. See here for the list:
https://www.oeb.ca/sites/default/files/LEAP_Utility-Agency_Partners.pdf
Low-income customers can get up to $500 in emergency assistance for their electricity bills ($600 if your home is heated electrically) and $500 for their natural gas bills.
You will be asked to provide:
- Identification
- Current electricity and gas bills
- A disconnection notice, if you have received one
- A copy of a rental contract, lease or mortgage documents
- Proof of household income – cheque stub, employment letter, income tax return for adult members of household
- A copy of your most recent bank statement
City of Toronto Emergency Energy Fund
If you have received a disconnect notice or been disconnected and don’t have the money to pay. Eligibility is based on income and assets, but you can’t be receiving social assistance. Call (416) 338-3332.
MUNICIPAL ASSISTANCE
A 60-day grace period is in effect for City of Toronto property, water and solid waste utility bill payments for all residents and businesses, for bills dated as of March 16. Late payment penalties for residential and business properties will be waived for 60 days, starting the same day.
For more information on Property Tax and Utlity Relief for your specific GTA Municipalities, see the Toronto & York Region Labour Council’s COVID resource packet here.