Ontario Just Made Electricity Cheaper — Then Cut Your Rebate
Your hydro bill just changed twice — and this time, the good news comes with a catch.
Winter electricity pricing kicked in across Ontario on November 1. The per-kilowatt-hour prices set by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) went down. At the same time, the provincial rebate shrank.
So yes, your electricity is cheaper. But the cushion that softens your bill just got thinner.
Your Clock Could Be Your Best Money-Saving Tool
The new winter schedule is built around when you use power:
- Off-peak: 9.1 cents/kWh — weekdays 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., plus all day on weekends and holidays
- Mid-peak: 14.6 cents/kWh — weekdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- On-peak: 18.9 cents/kWh — weekdays 7 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
Winter hours run until April 30.
Translation: if you can shift laundry, dishes, and other big jobs to evenings, nights, or weekends, you'll pay the lowest rate. Run everything at dinner time, and you'll feel it.
Own an EV? The Overnight Rate Gets Interesting
Night owls get the province's best deal. On the Ultra-Low Overnight plan, power costs just 3.7 cents/kWh every night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
That's a dream rate for EV charging and overnight appliances.
But watch the flip side: weekday evenings from 4 to 9 p.m. jump to 37.7 cents/kWh. It's the most expensive window in the plan — and it lands right when most people get home, cook dinner, and turn everything on.
Don't Want to Watch the Clock? There's Another Option
If time-of-use feels like too much math, Tiered pricing keeps it simple:
- The first 1,000 kWh a month costs 11.2 cents/kWh
- Anything above that costs 13.2 cents/kWh
No peak windows. No clock-watching. Just a straightforward price that steps up after you cross 1,000 kWh.
Here's the Part That Could Surprise You on Your Bill
Here's the twist: while rates dropped, the Ontario Electricity Rebate fell from 23.5% to 15.7% on November 1.
The rebate applies automatically to households, small businesses, and farms on the Regulated Price Plan.
The OEB says regulated prices dropped year over year, which allows the smaller rebate, and that overall bill increases will stay in line with previous years.
For a typical home using 700 kWh a month, the rebate still takes about $23 off the monthly bill. That's real money — just less help than before.
One More Winter Rule Worth Knowing
Utilities also cannot disconnect homes for non-payment from November 15 to April 30.
It's a small but important winter protection, especially as heating costs climb.
The Twikup Take
Cheaper electrons, smaller cushion.
Shift laundry, dishes, and EV charging into off-peak or overnight hours and the new rates reward you more than ever.
Run everything at 6 p.m., and the smaller rebate will sting.
Image: AI-generated illustration.