Ontario Expands Eligibility for Electricity Rebate Program

A hydro tower is shown in Toronto on Nov. 4, 2015. The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese

Ontario says it’s expanding its electricity rebate program to include about 100,000 more families.

The province announced it would expand the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) as of March 1. The program offers rebates to households under specified income levels.

“Our government is increasing our investment in the Ontario Electricity Support Program by $50 million to provide targeted support to those who need it most,” Energy Minister Todd Smith said in a statement.

The move raises the household income threshold for receiving the rebate to $71,000 per year, up 35 percent from the previous cap of $52,000.

Those eligible for the OESP can receive credits from $35 to $75. Higher credits are available to indigenous customers or those living with indigenous family members, residents who use electric heating, or those who rely on electricity-intensive medical devices, the government said.

There is no deadline to apply for OESP. In 2022, an estimated 212,000 households participated.

The program is one of several that the province offers to cut the cost of energy for Ontario residents.

In October, it increased the Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER) from 11.7 percent of the electricity bill to 19.3 percent. The program was introduced in 2019 to help families, farms, and small businesses with energy costs. The government says the average household saves $26 a month or $312 a year through the OER.

The Energy Affordability Program helps cut electricity bills through energy-need assessments on properties, identifying home upgrades that can reduce energy waste.

Those who qualify for the income-based program can receive government support for upgrading refrigerators, air conditioners, light bulbs, shower heads, attic or basement insulation, weatherstripping, smart thermostats, and cold-climate air source heat pumps.

For low-income families, Ontario also has the Low Income Energy Assistance Program to help households who are struggling to pay their electricity or natural gas bills. The program is designed to help those who are behind on their bills and may be facing service disconnection.

Ontario’s announcement comes after a recent report found that one in five households in Canada live in “energy poverty,” defined as being unable to “maintain healthy indoor temperatures,” with rural parts of the country finding it a bigger concern.

Jennifer Cowan contributed to this report.