Anúncios
Ontario has a program that takes a set amount off the electricity bill every month. Who usually qualifies and how the credit works are explained below.
You will remain on this site
This is an independent information site, not affiliated with the OEB or the Government of Ontario.
What the Ontario Electricity Support Program is
The Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) is a provincial program administered by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), with oversight from the Ministry of Energy. It is not a one time payment: it works as a credit that appears on the electricity bill each month, for households that qualify.
The amount is based on household income and size, and the amounts are set by the Ontario Energy Board. The program applies in Ontario only.
Why the credit is not automatic
Many households assume a discount like this simply shows up on the bill. According to the OEB, it does not: the credit must be requested. A household that never applies keeps paying the full bill, even when its income and size would fit the program.
The request involves a few documents, a consent form and a waiting period. Households that already receive certain provincial support also have a specific route to follow. The exact steps, in order, are on the next page.
Who the program usually serves
In general terms, the OESP is aimed at households with lower or modest incomes. Two things are looked at together: the annual household income after taxes and the number of people living in the home. A larger household can have a higher income and still fall within the limits set by the program.
The program is also tied to the electricity bill itself: the type of account and meter in the home matters. Which accounts are accepted is explained on the next page.
💡
Before asking for the OESP credit
What the request involves, based on OEB information
1. The electricity bill: the account details on the bill are part of the request.
2. Everyone in the home: each person living there is listed, as shown in tax records. Details on the next page.
3. Household income after taxes: it is compared with limits set for each household size, explained on the next page.
4. Electric heating or certain medical devices: they can move the household to a higher credit range, with amounts on the next page.
5. A consent form: there is one step that, if skipped, stops the request. It is explained on the next page.
6. The way to apply: there is more than one channel, and the OEB describes one of them as the fastest. Which one is on the next page.
7. Renewal: the credit has an end date and must be renewed. The period for each case is on the next page.
Independent checklist. Source: Ontario Energy Board, oeb.ca/node/121, consulted 10/2026.
You will remain on this site
What changes with electric heating
Homes heated with electricity tend to feel the winter more on the bill. The OESP takes this into account: households with electric heating can fall into a higher credit range. The same higher range can apply when someone in the home uses certain medical devices that consume a lot of electricity, and for Indigenous customers or customers living with an Indigenous family member.
These situations are indicated in the request. The amounts for each range are listed on the next page, with the OEB as the source.
Winter and the electricity bill
Winter is when the electricity bill usually weighs the most in Ontario, especially in homes with electric heating. It is also the season when the province applies special rules for residential customers who fall behind on payments. Those rules have a start date and an end date, and they do not stop every charge.
The dates for the 2026 to 2027 season, and what still applies during that period, are explained on the next page, along with the emergency help the OEB describes for overdue bills.
How long the credit lasts
Once approved, the OESP credit is not permanent. It has an end date and needs to be renewed so that it keeps appearing on the bill. The renewal period is longer for people aged 65 or older. The exact periods are on the next page.
Checking the source before sharing information
Because the request involves personal details of everyone in the home, it makes sense to confirm the program name and the body that runs it. The program is called the Ontario Electricity Support Program, and it is administered by the Ontario Energy Board. The next page lists the application channels and the phone line published by the OEB, together with the five steps, the documents, the monthly ranges and the expected timelines.
You will remain on this site
Independent information site, not affiliated with the OEB or the Government of Ontario. Amounts set by the Ontario Energy Board, based on household income and size, if eligible. Program rules can change, and each household is assessed on its own situation. Sources: Ontario Energy Board, Ontario Electricity Support Program, oeb.ca/node/121 (consulted 10/2026, income limits in effect since March 1, 2024); OEB newsroom, changes to electricity prices (October 16, 2026).