Ontario residents should now think carefully about whether they choose to use a dishwasher or do laundry during the day, which they may have become used to while waiting out at home Covid-19 pandemic.
According to CTV News Toronto, the Ontario government will not offer off-peak hydro rates during the second stay-at-home order, as it offered it in January.
During the first stay-at-home order, Ontarians were allowed to use electricity without worrying about the time of day or fixed levels of electricity rates depending on the time they were using it. The goal was to keep people indoors, to stop the spread of Covid-19 during the provincial lockdown and to comply with the stay-at-home order.
Energy Minister Greg Rickford said back then “off-peak” rates were introduced for individual households, small businesses and farms with constant and predictable electricity bills when they needed it most.
On February 23, the province returned to regular times and a three-tier winter tariff.
Off-peak rates include weekends, statutory holidays and weekdays from 7 pm to 7 am at 8.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (1 kWh). Mid-peak rates apply during weekdays from 11 am to 5 pm at a price of 11.9 cents per kWh. On-peak rates apply on weekdays from 7 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 7 pm at 17.6 cents per kWh.
On May 1, the province plans to change tariffs to the summer time-of-use schedule.
The Minister of Energy, asked by CTV News Toronto why the government will not offer off-peak hydro rates this time around, as it was the case during the last stay-at-home order, replied that Toronto “focusing on electricity relief for those who need it most through the COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP).”
A spokesman said: “We also recently extended our CEAP mandate and invested an additional $ 23 million in the program. Customers needing financial assistance can apply for CEAP through their local utility “
According to the Ontario government, customers who qualify for CEAP can receive a subsidy of up to $ 750 on their electricity and natural gas bills. These can only be customers who have outstanding bills on the day of applying for the relief with at least one electricity or gas bill in arrears after March 17, 2020.