Founded in 1642, Montréal is one of the largest and oldest cities in Canada. With a population of 1.8 million residents, the city is also considered as one of the most bilingual cities in the world.
As the main city in Québec, Montréal’s economy is one of the fastest-growing in Canada and the largest financial hub in the province. The economic activity in the city is quite diversified, including sectors and industries such as commerce, technology, culture, finance, software engineering, tourism, transportation and communications.
Although Montréal is a booming city and offers increasing living costs, the city has historically-stable utility costs, thanks to the considerably low electricity prices provided by Hydro-Québec. As reported by the utility, over the past 20 years, electricity prices have grown at a slower rate (29%) than the cost of other consumer goods, such as milk (which increased 65%), public transit (88%) and home insurance (114%).
When it comes to natural gas rates, however, there are many competitive providers available, so it’s essential to compare natural gas suppliers before signing up with a company. If you want to understand more about electricity and natural gas providers in Montréal, as well as how energy bills work in the city, find detailed information below.
Whether you want to reduce your natural gas and electricity bills or set up utilities in Montréal, read on to learn your options and how to compare natural gas suppliers in the city.
Natural gas in Montréal
Like in most parts of Québec, natural gas customers in Montréal have their service billed, distributed and delivered by Énergir (Gaz Métro) regardless of which company supplies their home or business with natural gas. So, even if you switch your natural gas service to a competitive retailer, you’re still going to receive Énergir bills. The only difference will be related to the amount you pay for the cost of natural gas as a commodity.
Some of the competitive natural gas suppliers in Montréal and/or Québec include but are not limited to:
Comparing Montréal natural gas providers: At EnergyRates.ca, you can compare Montréal natural gas providers and their rates. The website lists all the major natural gas companies in Québec according to your postal code. The cost comparison tool is a 100% unbiased and enables you to find the cheapest available natural gas rates in your area.
If you’re looking for commercial natural gas suppliers, EnergyRates.ca can also help you. The website provides businesses and industrial natural gas consumers with free, custom quotes based on their energy consumption, as well as in-depth advice on how to make informed decisions.
Electricity in Montréal
Electricity in Montréal is provided by Hydro-Québec. According to the electric utility, the average yearly energy consumption in Québec of a detached home with air-conditioning is around 24,000 kWh. If you take into consideration that the electricity rates in the province were from 6.08 cents to 9.38 cents (basic rate), as of mid-2019, the average electricity bill in Montréal could range from $120 to $180 per month — it’s important to have in mind that these are estimates, and don’t necessarily include daily charges and costs associated with delivery and distribution.
As stated on websites such as Expatistan and the official Québec immigration page, monthly electricity costs in the province are approximately $120 on average, but could cost anything from $60 to $250 or more, if you include heating in such expenses.
Hydro-Québec customers in Montréal usually pay lower electricity prices than people in cities such as Vancouver, Toronto or New York. The reason why is that Québec’s abundant hydroelectricity sources allow the governmental company to charge lower electricity rates.
