COVID-19 Update – Ontario Government Extends Rate Relief for Consumers

May 6, 2020

The Ontario Government announced today that consumers who pay time of-use electricity rates will continue to be billed at the off-peak rate 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The electricity rate relief has been extended under the Emergency and Civil Protection Act. The Rate Relief is intended to be in place for an additional 24 days.

Deferral of Global Adjustment (GA) Charges

Ontario is deferring a portion of Global Adjustment (GA) charges for industrial and commercial electricity customers that do not participate in the Regulated Price Plan (RPP), starting April 2020. The GA for smaller industrial and commercial consumers (ex. Class B) has been set at $115 per megawatt-hour, which is roughly in line with March 2020 value. Large industrial and commercial consumers (ex. Class A) will receive the same percentage reduction in GA Charges as Class B.

The government intends to keep this relief in place through the end of June 2020, subject to necessary extensions and approvals to implement this initiative. Industrial and Commercial electricity consumers will automatically see this relief on their bills. Consumers who have already received their April bill should see an adjustment on a future bill.