When you are looking for the best rates on electricity, it is important to remember that, to a certain extent, your rates reflect your geographic location. There are a number of reasons why this might be the case. A lot of it has to do with provincial politics that govern your electricity rates, but another factor is how many providers there are in the area.
When an economy, like Alberta’s, is built on energy production, there are going to be several electricity providers. The competition helps to keep prices low. This is part of the reason why prices vary across Canada, and also why it is possible to do an electricity comparison between Edmonton and Calgary.
Edmonton and Calgary vs. The Rest of the Country
When doing an electricity comparison between Edmonton and Calgary, it is interesting to note that Edmonton and Calgary have some of the lowest rates across Canada. On average, residents of Calgary were paying 11.66 ₵/per kilowatt hour (KWH) in 2015, while residents of Edmonton were paying closer to 11.55 ₵/KWH.
Elsewhere in Canada, residents were, on average, paying more for their electricity in 2015. In Regina, residents were paying approximately 14.37 ₵/KWH; in Toronto, residents were paying 14.31 ₵/KWH; and Halifax was paying the overall highest rate at 16.03 ₵/KWH. Of the few provinces paying less than Calgary and Edmonton was Montreal (7.19 ₵/KWH).
Non-residential rates show much the same trend when it comes to an electricity comparison between Edmonton and Calgary for 2015. Calgary and Edmonton both show higher electricity discounts being offered to large-power customers. In Calgary, large-power customers were paying 4.76 ₵/KWH in 2015, while Edmonton large-power customers were paying 6.97 ₵/KWH. Comparatively, Regina’s large-power customers paid, on average, 7.81 ₵/KWH in 2015, while Toronto’s large-power customers paid 9.22 ₵/KWH, and Halifax’s paid 10.02 ₵/KWH.
While Montréal had shown the lowest Canadian electricity rate for residential customers, its large-power customers not only received a higher rate than Calgary, but also received less of a rate discount overall at 5.17 ₵/KWH.
Looking for the lowest rate?
While Edmonton does appear to offer lower electricity prices for residential customers than Calgary, if you are looking to start a business that would put you on the scale of large-power consumer, you may be better off to choose Calgary. Of course, opting for a competitive rate provider rather than a regulated rate provider would minimize the geographic influence on your rates.
If you are looking for the best rate on electricity and are attempting an electricity comparison between Edmonton and Calgary, contact us at Energyrates.ca today. We will help you find the best rate for your electricity needs regardless of your geographic location.