The rates we charge our customers are set out in our Rate Schedules, which are approved by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) from time to time. When our Rate Schedules are amended by the OEB, the amended rate(s) and/or term(s) will apply to customers on the effective date established by the OEB.
On June 4, 2020, the OEB approved EPCOR's gas distribution rates effective January 1, 2020. The rates will be implemented on all bills rendered on or after September 1, 2020. For a typical residential customer who consumes about 2,100 cubic meters of gas annually, the rate change will increase the bill by $1.07 per month. Commercial, industrial and seasonal rate customers will also be impacted by the change. Please visit the OEB's website for information on the current approved rates.
The approved rates are reflected in the following line items on your EPCOR natural gas bill:
Monthly charge
This is an administration charge covering the costs of maintaining gas services and providing billing and customer service. Included in this charge, is the $1 per month required to be billed to all customers as part of the Access to Natural Gas Act (Bill 32), which helps to facilitate the expansion of natural gas into more Ontario communities.
Delivery and upstream charges
These charges reflect the costs associated with the distribution, transportation and storage of natural gas from the source to you. This includes all charges EPCOR pays to its upstream service provider in association with transportation and storage of the gas before it is delivered to EPCOR's system. Included in this charge is a rate rider to recover revenue the utility was not able to collect as a result of delays in connecting customers to the system.
Gas supply charge
These are gas commodity costs calculated using the cost of gas you use during the period between meter readings (or based on an estimate of the gas used during that period). The commodity rate you are charged on your EPCOR bill depends upon the commodity purchase choice you have made. If you have not signed a contract with an energy retailer you are automatically billed at our OEB-approved gas commodity rate. If you have signed a contract with an energy retailer you are billed at your contracted energy retailer rate.
Federal carbon charge
Find out more about the
regulatory process
Learn more
This charge reflects your monthly consumption and the associated costs to deliver natural gas to your home at the rate set by the government. The money collected from this charge goes to the federal government as part of its carbon pollution pricing program.
When applicable, miscellaneous and/or service charges as set out in our Rate Schedules, may appear on your bill in addition to the above charges. Please see the our
Conditions of Services for more detail on these charges.
Your natural gas bill includes information on the amount of natural gas you consumed in the billing period. Your consumption information is broken out to include length of the billing period, the date of your last meter reading and whether your consumption calculation was based on actual or estimated meter reading or a combination of both.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the rates or any other items on your bill, please call our office at
1 (888) 765-2256 or email
gas@epcor.com.
