Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER)
Rebate
Description:
The Ontario Electricity Rebate currently provides a 19.3% rebate to eligible residential customers, small businesses, farms and other customers.
Comments on Funding:
The 19.3% rebate is applied as a credit to qualifying bills of eligible customers as of November 1, 2023.
Continuous Intake
Eligibility:
The following customers are automatically eligible for the OER and do not need to complete the self-declaration form:
1. Residential and Small Commercial customers (billed under a Residential or General Service Energy rate class) using less than 50 kW;
2. Commercial accounts that are greater than 50 kW but use less than 250,000 kWh annually.
For questions about eligibility, please contact your electricity distribution company or the Ontario Energy Board.
Application Steps:
The rebate is automatic for most customers and appears on bills as a separate line item.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and do not see the rebate on their bill must:
1. contact their electricity distribution company or the Ontario Energy Board to confirm their eligibility..
2. complete the OER Eligibility Form and submit it via email to their electricity distribution company, if eligible.
Documentation Needed:
No specific documentation has been identified.
Other Things to Note:
Nov. 2023:
The Ontario Electricity Rebate (“OER”) provides eligible customers with a 19.3% reduction on the amount of their bill before HST (O. Reg 363/16), as of November 1, 2023.
Most residential consumers, farms and many small businesses in Ontario will receive a reduction on their bill through the Ontario Electricity Rebate. You may also receive further reductions on your bill if you’re a customer of:
• Hydro One (low and medium density customers)
• Northern Ontario Wires
• Chapleau Public Utilities Corporation
• Sioux Lookout Hydro
• InnPower
• Atikokan Hydro
• Algoma Power
Older:
1. For assistance received before November 1, 2019, 8%. The 8% Provincial Rebate was in place before the OER was introduced on November 1, 2019;
2. For assistance received on or after November 1, 2019, 31.8%. O. Reg. 342/19, s. 4 (1);
3. On November 1, 2021, the Regulation is amended by striking out “18.9 per cent” wherever it appears and substituting in each case “17 per cent”. (See: O. Reg. 728/21, s. 1);
4. Effective July 1, 2022, the eligibility criteria for the OER are expanding to include common elements of predominantly residential multi-unit complexes, retirement residences and mobile home parks.
5. On November 1, 2022, section 2 of the Regulation is amended by striking out “17 per cent” and substituting “11.7 per cent”. (See: O. Reg. 501/22, s. 1).
6. Eligible customers can avail OER from their local electricity distribution company, including:
a) Elexicon Energy;
b) Welland Hydro-Electric System Corp.;
c) Tillsonburg Hydro Inc.;
d) NT Power;
e) North Bay Hydro Distribution Limited;
f) Hydro Ottawa;
g) Brantford Power;
h) ERTH Power;
i) Centre Wellington Hydro;
j) Ottawa River Power;
and more…
About the author
Maurice
