COVID-19

As an essential workplace, we're continuing with critical work in order to continue safely powering our city’s homes and businesses – today, tomorrow and in the months ahead.

As a result, you may see our crews continuing to work in your community. During this time, our crews will practise physical distancing whenever possible. However, sometimes the nature of their work will require them to work as a team. All of our crews are trained to perform safety assessments before completing any work in order to help them identify potential hazards, including those related to COVID-19.

Across all of our work, we're committed to protecting both our front-line workers and the communities we serve while we work to safely power our city.

Supporting CaféTO and keeping the public safe

We’re working closely with the City of Toronto to support its CaféTO initiative. For residents who may be dining on city streets or sidewalks this summer, please be mindful that Toronto Hydro has electrical equipment located above and below ground throughout the city. To help ensure your safety, please remember to keep a safe distance from this equipment.

Tips to stay safe around electrical equipment

We've evaluated our upcoming work to determine how we can adapt to the unprecedented circumstances that we're facing. While we've done our best to postpone work where possible, we're moving forward with critical projects that are needed to help maintain the safety and reliability of the grid.

When completing this critical work, we'll be taking all steps possible to minimize inconvenience to customers, including proactively reaching out to customers that are affected.

Safety reminder: If you come across one of our crews working in your community, please practise physical distancing and avoid approaching them directly in order to ensure your safety and theirs.

In accordance with the recommendation from Toronto's Medical Officer of Health, and in step with other large private organizations in Ontario, Toronto Hydro will be instituting a mandatory vaccination policy that requires employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The adoption of a mandatory vaccination policy in accordance with Toronto Public Health guidance is a reasonable next step that can be taken to protect our workplace and keep our community safe.

Read our full announcement

We know the COVID-19 pandemic has put economic stress on families and businesses, and we’re here to help our customers manage their electricity bills during this time. As a result, we're working with customers who may need greater flexibility on payment options at this time.

Our Customer Care team is here to help with billing concerns and payment options. To discuss your bill and payment needs in more detail, please call us directly at 416-542-8000. We strongly encourage those who are able to continue to pay their bills on time.

Paperless billing

If you have concerns regarding handling your paper bill, we encourage customers to sign up for eBills using our customer self-serve portal.

Learn more about the benefits of eBills

For residential customers

Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)

The LEAP grant program helps those who are struggling to pay past-due bills or have already received a disconnection notice. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) temporarily changed the guidelines so that applicants no longer need to have received a disconnection notice or been disconnected in order to qualify. In addition, grant amounts were doubled up to a maximum of $1,000 per household per year (up to $1,200 for electrically heated homes).

Learn more about LEAP

Additional support for residential customers

Additional financial assistance programs are available to help residential customers manage their electricity costs, including the Emergency Energy Fund (EEF) and the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP).

Learn more about our financial assistance programs

For business customers

The City of Toronto has business support programs and initiatives, including the Energy Retrofit Loans program for businesses. To learn more, visit the City’s Grants, Incentives and Rebates page.

The federal government also has measures in place to provide financial support to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more, visit the Government of Canada’s Support for Businesses page.

With many of our customers spending more time at home, we recognize that energy consumption habits may change. We have tips and resources that may help customers save energy and money at home during this time.

Residential tips and resources

Fraudsters are trying to take advantage of electricity consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic by threatening to disconnect their power. Please note that we've suspended electricity disconnections for non-payment until further notice.

Note: We never threaten to disconnect power immediately and will never ask a customer to call a 1-800 number to make a payment.

Protect yourself against fraud