Ontario kicked off the province-wide rollout of time-of-use electricity rates today in Toronto.

Ten thousand homes in Toronto will move to the new rates starting this June.  By next summer, one million Ontario households will be on time-of-use rates.  

Time-of-use rates equip Ontarians with real time information to make smart decisions about how and when they use electricity.  The rates reflect the reality that electricity costs the most when demand is highest. By shifting electricity use to low demand times, consumers will save money.

Ontarians will be better able to manage their electricity costs  by reducing overall use and by shifting energy-intensive activities, such as doing laundry and running the dishwasher, to later in the evening or on weekends. Shifting use of other discretionary appliances such as air conditioners can also help.

Under the rates, off-peak times occur on evenings and weekends. Currently, evening off peak hours start at 10 pm. Beginning Nov. 1, off-peak times will move to 9 pm, offering Ontario families an additional evening hour at the lowest rate.

As of May 1, the three rates for electricity are (per kilowatt hour):

• On-peak: 9.1 cents
• Mid-peak: 7.6 cents
• Off-peak: 4.2 cents

For more information on smart meters and time-of-use rates, visit.
The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.