Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER)

Eligible customers can receive a rebate on their electricity bills.

The Ontario government introduced the OER as an expanded rebate providing bill relief for eligible customers. The rebate is applied to bills for most residential consumers, long-term care homes, farms and many small businesses.

The OER currently provides eligible customers with a rebate of 11.7% on their electricity bill.

Eligibility criteria

Update: 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. If you qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, you’ll need to submit the OER Eligibility Notice Form to notify Toronto Hydro.

If you meet one or more of the following criteria, you'll automatically receive the OER:

  • Your demand for electricity is 50 kilowatts (kW) or less
  • Your annual consumption doesn’t exceed 250,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity

The following customers are eligible for the OER but need to complete the OER Eligibility Notice Form in order to receive the rebate.

Your account is at least partly in respect of common elements, which means any part of a predominantly residential multi-unit complex (e.g. condominiums or apartment buildings) that is not a unit, and the following conditions are met:

  • The multi-unit complex, including any part of the multi-unit complex to which the common area account does not apply, contains at least two qualifying units[1]
  • At least 50% of the units[2] within the multi-unit complex, including any part of the multi-unit complex to which the account does not apply, are qualifying units
  • Your account exceeds the monthly electricity demand of 50 kW and use threshold of 250,000 kWh annually

[1] “Qualifying unit” means a unit that (a) consists of a self-contained room or set of rooms; (b) contains kitchen and bathroom facilities that are for the sole use of the unit; and (c) is occupied and used as a residence.

[2] “Unit” means (a) a unit as defined in the Condominium Act, 1998; (b) a residential unit or a rental unit, as those terms are defined in subsection 2(1) of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006; (c) a member unit or a non-member unit, as those terms are defined in the Co-operative Corporations Act; or (d) premises that is demised premises for the purposes of the Commercial Tenancies Act. Furthermore, a unit does not include a unit that is intended for purposes of parking, storage, providing space for services, recreation, or other facilities or mechanical installations.

Your account solely relates to a multi-unit complex, such as condominiums and apartment buildings, and you meet the following conditions:

  • The multi-unit complex contains at least two qualifying units[1]
  • At least 50% of the units[2] in the multi-unit complex are qualifying units
  • Your account exceeds the monthly electricity demand of 50 kW and use threshold of 250,000 kWh annually

[1] “Qualifying unit” means a unit that (a) consists of a self-contained room or set of rooms; (b) contains kitchen and bathroom facilities that are for the sole use of the unit; and (c) is occupied and used as a residence.

[2] “Unit” means (a) a unit as defined in the Condominium Act, 1998; (b) a residential unit or a rental unit, as those terms are defined in subsection 2(1) of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006; (c) a member unit or a non-member unit, as those terms are defined in the Co-operative Corporations Act; or (d) premises that is demised premises for the purposes of the Commercial Tenancies Act. Furthermore, a unit does not include a unit that is intended for purposes of parking, storage, providing space for services, recreation, or other facilities or mechanical installations.

Your account is solely in respect to a retirement residence and meets the following conditions:

  • At least 50% of the units in your retirement residence are occupied or intended to be occupied as a permanent residence by at least one person who is 65 years of age or older—they also cannot be related to the operator of the residence
  • There are at least six people 65 years of age or older who occupy or are intended to occupy the residence
  • Your account exceeds the monthly electricity demand of 50 kW and use threshold of 250,000 kWh annually

Your account solely relates to a mobile home park and meets the following conditions:

  • You meet the definition of a mobile home park[1] as defined by the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, subsection 2(1)
  • Your account exceeds the monthly electricity demand of 50 kW and use threshold of 250,000 kWh annually

[1] “Mobile home park” means the land on which one or more occupied mobile homes are located and includes the rental units and the land, structures, services and facilities of which the landlord retains possession and that are intended for the common use and enjoyment of the tenants of the landlord (Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, subsection 2(1)).

Your account only refers to a long-term care home and meets the following condition:

  • Your account is solely in respect of a licensed long-term care home under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, unless it’s related to a hospital as defined in the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act

You’re a consumer who carries a farming business that meets the following conditions:

  • Your business is for the purposes of the Farm Registration and Farm Organizations Funding Act, 1993
  • You hold a valid registration number assigned under that Act or your obligation to file a farming business registration form was waived pursuant to an order made under subsection 22(6) of that Act

Note: You will not qualify for the OER if your account relates in whole or in part to any of the excluded premises in the following list.

  • A hotel, motel or motor hotel, resort, lodge, tourist camp, cottage or cabin establishment, inn, campground, trailer park, tourist home, bed and breakfast vacation establishment or vacation home
  • A trailer park that is not a mobile home park
  • Living accommodation occupied by a person for penal or correctional purposes
  • A hospital, as defined in the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010
  • A premises that is subject to the Ministry of Correctional Services Act or the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017
  • Short-term living accommodation provided as emergency shelter
  • Living accommodation provided by an educational institution to its students or staff where:
    1. The living accommodation is provided primarily to persons under the age of majority, or all major questions related to the living accommodation are decided after consultation with a council or association representing the residents
    2. The living accommodation is not intended for year-round occupancy by full-time students or staff and members of their households
  • A university, college of applied arts and technology, or other entity that provides post-secondary education
  • A premises that is identified by a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code commencing with the digits 21, 22, 23, 31, 32 or 33

The transitional benefit period

You may have been receiving the OER under a legacy exemption as part of the former 8% Provincial Rebate (which was in place before the OER was introduced on November 1, 2019). The transitional benefit period expired on October 31, 2022.

If you qualify under the new eligibility criteria and want to continue receiving the OER benefit, submit an OER Eligibility Notice Form.

OER Eligibility Notice Form

If you meet the eligibility requirements outlined on this page, you should submit the OER Eligibility Notice Form to let us know.

Note: If your electricity demand is 50 kW or less or if your annual electricity consumption is less than 250,000 kWh, you don’t have to complete the OER Eligibility Notice Form. You’ll be automatically enrolled in the OER and will receive the OER benefit.

Update: 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. If you qualify under the expanded eligibility criteria, submit an OER Eligibility Notice Form to Toronto Hydro immediately to start receiving the benefit as of July 1, 2022.

To apply for the OER, complete the OER Eligibility Notice Form (PDF, 130 KB) and submit it according to the instructions on the form.

Frequently asked questions

You need to complete a separate OER Eligibility Notice Form for each account.

We may use all information submitted in this process in support of our obligations under the Electricity Act, 1998 and the Ontario Energy Board Act, 1998, applicable Ontario Energy Board Codes and Rules, associated policies, standards and procedures, and our electricity distribution licence.

For further assistance, please visit our contact us page to reach our Customer Care team online or by phone.