The real cost of TOU

The utilities and the government are nonchalantly brushing off claims that hydro customers in Ontario can't save money by shifting their consumption to off peak hours. The reason for that is simple, the TOU rates quoted don't include the fixed base charges, which include delivery, regulatory fees, and debt retirement charges. And the HST.

Once you factor in those added costs, off-peak use only has a 33% advantage over on-peak. Also consider that under the old system, the cost of electricity at any time was about 5.5 cents, it's no wonder that TOU is a losing proposition for the consumer.

How to tell if you're on a fixed-rate gas contract

What your Enbridge bill looks like if you're purchasing your natural gas from Enbridge at regulated market prices approved by the Ontario Energy Board. These prices are subject to change every three months.




What your Enbridge bill looks like if you're on a fixed rate natural gas contract. In this particular case, the name and contact information of the company you are purchasing your natural gas from appears in the gray box. The customer charge and delivery charge go to Enbridge, while the gas supply charge goes to the company you're under contract with.

Note that this bill does not include the gas cost adjustment. That's because you forfeit that privilege under a fixed rate contract.

If you're still not sure, call Enbridge to confirm if you're on a contract or not.