Ontario is the most populous province in Canada, and is home to large cities such as Ottawa, Toronto and London that often come with a high cost of living. That’s not to say that living in Ontario has to be expensive — one potential way that you can save on costs is through reviewing your hydro and natural gas usage, as well as your utility providers.
Surprisingly, 90% of consumers in Ontario are served by regulated utility companies such as Hydro One, Enbridge Gas Distribution or Union Gas. What many people may not know is that you’re able to choose both your hydro and natural gas provider in Ontario.
Even though the transmission of natural gas and electricity is regulated, consumers have been able to purchase electricity and natural gas from a retailer since 2002. If you don’t choose a provider, then your natural gas and hydro are provided by your local utility. Choosing the appropriate utility providers could potentially save you a lot on your natural gas and electricity bills, as many of them have energy plans that fit your usage, whether for a home or a large commercial natural gas consumer.
Choosing the best hydro and natural gas providers in Ontario
In Ontario, there are several different utility companies to choose from when it comes to both electricity and natural gas. Some of the hydro and natural gas companies in Ontario include Just Energy, MyRate Energy, Planet Energy, RiteRate Energy and Summitt Energy.
These natural gas and hydro companies provide fixed– or floating-rate plans, as well as regulated plans — there’s a plan for everybody.
In addition to choosing a suitable plan, you should also consider time-of-use rates to save the most money on your monthly utilities. In Ontario, weekdays are divided into peak-hours (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), mid-peak hours (7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and off-peak hours (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.). Weekends and holidays, however, are always off-peak hours no matter what time it is. Using appliances during off-peak hours whenever possible can significantly decrease your hydro bill, since using the same appliances during peak-hours could cost you about twice as much versus using them during off-peak hours.
Comparing hydro and natural gas rates in Ontario
In order to find the best hydro and natural gas rates according to where you live in Ontario, you’ll probably have to compare several different gas and electricity plans from several different utility companies. One of the easiest ways you can compare Ontario electricity and natural gas rates is through EnergyRates.ca. This tool works for anywhere in Ontario, whether it be for larger cities like Toronto and Hamilton, or smaller cities such as Kitchener and Peterborough.
EnergyRates.ca is a free, unbiased rate comparison website that will allow you to view a list of natural gas and hydro providers and their rates — all you need to do is fill in your postal code, whether you’re looking for electricity or natural gas rates, and whether you’re looking for rates suitable for residential use, business or commercial/industrial use.
