Ontario Electricity Plans Eligibility Checker
Complete guide to understanding your eligibility for Time-of-Use, Tiered, and Ultra-Low Overnight electricity pricing plans
The Ontario Electricity Plans Eligibility Checker helps residential and small business customers understand which electricity pricing plans they can choose. Most electricity customers in Ontario have the flexibility to select between time-of-use (TOU) rates, tiered rates, and ultra-low overnight (ULO) rates based on their lifestyle and electricity consumption patterns.
You can request to switch between these pricing plans at any time by contacting your local distribution company (LDC) and completing an election form.
Who Is Eligible for Ontario Electricity Plans?
Regulated Price Plan (RPP) electricity customers can choose between time-of-use pricing and tiered pricing plans. RPP customers include most households, small businesses, and farms in Ontario.
Starting May 1, 2023, local distribution companies began offering ultra-low overnight pricing to RPP customers. By November 1, 2023, all local distribution companies were required to offer this pricing option.
Eligible Customers
✓ Most households
✓ Small businesses
✓ Farms
✓ Customers with smart meters (required for TOU and ULO rates)
Who Is Not Eligible to Switch Rate Plans
A small number of customers cannot switch between rate plans due to technical or contractual limitations:
- Customers who are not reached by the telecommunications infrastructure needed to support smart meters
- Customers who chose to leave the RPP price structure, generally through signing a contract with an electricity retailer
- Bulk metered customers, such as residents living in condominium buildings or rental buildings who are not individually metered
Time-of-Use (TOU) Rates
The time-of-use rate is the default electricity rate for most homes and businesses. TOU rates vary according to the time of day and are divided into three rate periods with seasonal adjustments to reflect changing electricity use patterns.
Rate Periods
Off-Peak (Lowest Demand): All day on weekends and statutory holidays; summer and winter nights between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Mid-Peak (Moderate Demand): Summer weekdays 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; winter weekdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On-Peak (Highest Demand): Summer weekdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; winter weekdays 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Is TOU Right for You?
Time-of-use pricing may be your preferred plan if:
- You work outside the home during the day and do dishes and laundry in the evening
- You have a large family with higher electricity usage
- You work shift work and use most electricity in the evenings
Tiered Rates
With tiered rates, electricity prices remain constant during the day, but shift if more than a certain set amount of electricity is used during the course of a month. A lower price applies for consumption below a monthly threshold, and a higher rate applies for consumption above that threshold.
Residential Tier Thresholds
- Tier 1 (Lower Rate): Up to 1,000 kWh/month in winter; up to 600 kWh/month in summer
- Tier 2 (Higher Rate): Over 1,000 kWh/month in winter; over 600 kWh/month in summer
Non-Residential Tier Thresholds
- Tier 1: Up to 750 kWh/month for all seasons
- Tier 2: All electricity used over 750 kWh/month for all seasons
Is Tiered Pricing Right for You?
Tiered pricing may be a better option if:
- You are retired and spend time at home, doing laundry and cooking during the day
- You live alone or in a smaller property with lower electricity usage
- You spend very little time at home and use less electricity
- Your usage consistently stays below the tier thresholds
Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO) Rates
The ultra-low overnight price plan follows the TOU pricing structure but features an overnight rate lower than the TOU off-peak rate, balanced by a higher on-peak rate. ULO rates are divided into four rate periods.
Rate Periods
ULO (Lowest Cost - Blue): Every day between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
On-Peak (Highest Cost - Purple): Weekdays between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Mid-Peak (Moderate Cost - Yellow): Weekdays between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Weekend Off-Peak (Low-Moderate Cost - Green): Weekends and statutory holidays between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Is ULO Pricing Right for You?
ULO pricing may be your best option if:
- You have an electric vehicle (EV) that you charge overnight
- You use most of your electricity during overnight hours
- You can shift significant electricity consumption to the overnight period
Ontario Electricity Plans Comparison
| Plan Type |
Rate Periods |
Best For |
| Time-of-Use (TOU) |
Off-peak, Mid-peak, On-peak (seasonally adjusted) |
Evening and weekend users, larger households |
| Tiered |
Tier 1 (lower rate), Tier 2 (higher rate) based on monthly consumption |
Daytime users, smaller households, consistent low usage |
| Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO) |
ULO overnight, On-peak, Mid-peak, Weekend off-peak |
Electric vehicle owners, overnight electricity users |
How to Switch Your Electricity Rate Plan
If you are eligible and wish to change your pricing plan, follow these steps:
- Contact your local distribution company (LDC) – the company that delivers electricity to your home or business
- Complete and submit an election form to request the change
- You can switch between TOU, tiered, and ULO pricing at any time
- You can also switch back to your previous pricing model if you wish
Ontario Energy Board Bill Calculator: The Ontario Energy Board provides a bill calculator to help you determine which rate plan is best for your specific electricity usage patterns. Contact your local distribution company for more information or visit the Ontario Energy Board website.
Important Notes:
- This Ontario Electricity Plans Eligibility Checker provides general guidance based on information from the Government of Ontario and Ontario Energy Board.
- Current rate prices are set by the Ontario Energy Board and may change periodically.
- For specific information about your account, contact your local distribution company directly.
- Use the Ontario Energy Board's Bill Calculator to compare estimated costs under different rate plans based on your usage patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ontario Electricity Plans Eligibility
Because the default might not be the cheapest for your actual lifestyle. This Ontario electricity rate plan selector helps you compare TOU, tiered, and ultra-low overnight rates side by side. EV owners often save with ULO. People who work from home sometimes do better on tiered. You will not know until you compare.
This Ontario hydro rate comparison tool is for homeowners, renters, and small businesses across Ontario. Whether you have an electric vehicle, work from home, run a small shop, or just want to lower your monthly bill, this tool helps you figure out which pricing model saves you the most money.
100% free. No sign up, no credit card, no hidden fees. This TOU vs tiered vs ULO calculator works for any residential or small business customer in Ontario. Apartment, condo, house, or small commercial space — it costs nothing to compare rate plans before you call your local distribution company.
No way. This Ontario energy pricing selector does not save, store, or share any of your information. No account number, no address, no usage history. Your answers stay in your browser. We never see them and we never sell your data. Completely private.
Yes. This Ontario electricity rate plan comparison tool follows official OEB (Ontario Energy Board) rates. That means the TOU peak, mid peak, and off peak rates, the tiered thresholds (1,000 kWh in winter, 600 kWh in summer), and the ultra-low overnight rate with 2.8¢/kWh from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. It won't switch your plan for you, but it tells you which one saves you money before you call your LDC.
