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Frequently Asked Questions

1. WHY ARE ONTARIO CONSUMERS RECEIVING THIS BENEFIT?
   The OCEB is a responsible way of helping you and other Ontario families, farms and small businesses through the transition to a cleaner, modern electricity system.
2. WHAT CHARGES ARE INCLUDED IN THE BENEFIT?
   The OCEB provides a 10% rebate on your total electricity bill. It is taken off the total charge for every month which includes:
   1. electricity charges,
   2. delivery,
   3. regulatory charges,
      
   4. debt retirement charge and
   5. the HST.
   This applies for a five year period beginning January 1, 2011.
3. WHAT CHARGES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BENEFIT?
   The OCEB covers only electricity charges incurred after January 1, 2011. The benefit may not apply to all charges on the bill under the following circumstances:
   1. Your bill includes electricity usage during a period prior to January 1, 2011.
   2. Your bill includes charges such as a security deposit, arrears or other administrative debits or credits from the utility.
   3. You are on equal billing . you will receive a benefit equal to 10% of current eligible electricity charges, like all other consumers. Any associated adjustments to the equal billing payments would be reflected in the equal billing plan over time.
      
   4. Your bill may include non-eligible charges such as water heater rentals, water charges or other non-electricity charges.
4. HOW MUCH IS THIS WORTH TO ME?
   The OCEB provides a 10% rebate off the total electricity bill, including:
   1. electricity costs,
   2. delivery,
   3. regulatory charges,
      
   4. the debt retirement charge and
   5. the HST.
   What this means in savings is:
1. A typical residential consumer may see annual savings of approximately $153.60.
2. Typical farm and small business savings could range between $1700 and $2050, depending on size and electricity usage.
5. AM I ELIGIBLE/WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
   If you qualify for the province's Regulated Price Plan and receive an electricity bill you are eligible to receive the OCEB. (The OCEB will help over 4 million residential consumers and over 400,000 small businesses and farms.)
   You don.t have to do anything . the OCEB will be automatically added to every eligible consumer's bills, as early as January 2011.
6. WHEN WILL I START RECEIVING THE BENEFIT?
   The benefit started applying to all electricity consumed, beginning January 1, 2011. Due to the length of time required to implement this change, the proposed OCEB price adjustments would appear on electricity bills no later than May 2011, and would be retroactive to January 1, 2011.
7. I HAVE A CONTRACT WITH AN ENERGY RETAILER. AM I STILL ELIGIBLE?
   Yes, the OCEB applies to customer bills from a utility or suite-metering provider. Even if Ontarians have a contract with an energy retailer, the OCEB applies.
8. I PAY FOR ELECTRICITY IN MY RENT. WHAT ABOUT ME?
   The OCEB will reduce the landlord's costs and, as such, may be reflected in future rent calculations. Ontarians should contact the landlord to discuss what options may be available to you.
9. I'M MOVING ACROSS TOWN THIS SPRING AND WON'T HAVE AN ELECTRICITY ACCOUNT ONCE I MOVE, HOW DO I GET THE ONTARIO CLEAN ENERGY BENEFIT I'M OWED UNTIL THEN?
   Utilities are moving quickly to provide the OCEB, which will be retroactive to include all electricity consumed on or after January 1, 2011.
   
   If there is a benefit owed to you that is greater than $10, you will be mailed a cheque for the total eligible rebate to the address you provided to the utility, suite-metering provider, or retailer.
   
10. I'M MOVING THIS SPRING TO A NEW HOME IN ANOTHER UTILITY'S SERVICE AREA . HOW DO I ENSURE MY OCEB FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY FOLLOWS ME?
    Utilities are moving quickly to provide the OCEB, which will be retroactive to include all electricity consumed after January 1, 2011.
    
    If there is a benefit owed to you that is greater than $10, you will be mailed a cheque for the total eligible rebate to the address you provided to your utility, suite-metering provider, or retailer.

11. I'M MOVING OUT OF ONTARIO THIS SPRING . HOW DO I GET THE OCEB I'M OWED UNTIL THEN?
    Utilities are moving quickly to provide the OCEB, which will be retroactive to include all electricity consumed after January 1, 2011.
    
    If there is a benefit owed to you that is greater than $10, you will be mailed a cheque for the total eligible rebate to the address you provided to your utility, suite-metering provider, or retailer.
12. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FIVE-YEAR BENEFIT ENDS?
    Over the next five years, residential electricity costs are expected to rise as we transition to a clean electricity system. This investment will help pay for critical improvements to the electricity system including new generation from clean sources such as wind, solar, hydro and nuclear as well as crucial transmission and distribution investments. The Clean Energy Benefit will help with this transition.
    
    After five years, Ontario will have largely completed the transition to a cleaner more reliable system due to the replacement of coal-fired generation and new renewable generation under the Green Energy Act. Once these investments have been made, price increases are expected to level off.
    
    Providing the 10 percent OCEB to you is a responsible way of helping you and other Ontario families and businesses over the next five years as we transition to a cleaner electricity system.
13. WHAT INVESTMENTS ARE BEING MADE IN ONTARIO'S ELECTRICITY SYSTEM?
    Ontario's Long-Term Energy Plan will ensure that we have a reliable energy supply and that we continue to modernize the electricity system. Ontario is making critical investments to keep the lights on, to ensure a cleaner energy system and to build a growing clean economy. Click here to go back to more information on this site about Ontario's Long-Term Energy Plan.
14. WHY DON'T WE JUST REALLY PAY FOR THE 'TRUE COST OF ELECTRICITY'?
    In order to have a clean, modern system that includes a significant proportion of renewables, ensures reliability and creates jobs, investments in Ontario's electricity system will need to continue. While absolutely necessary, these investments are increasing electricity costs. At the same time, Ontario is recognizing that with the province coming out of recession, families are working on tighter budgets and need a bit of extra assistance.
    
    The OCEB is designed to help Ontario families through the transition to a cleaner electricity system. Every little bit of assistance helps during lean times.
15. WON'T FOLKS RECEIVING THE NORTHERN ONTARIO ENERGY CREDIT AND/OR THE PROPOSED ONTARIO ENERGY AND PROPERTY TAX CREDIT BE GETTING MULTIPLE REBATES/BENEFITS? DO YOU THINK THAT'S FAIR TO OTHER ONTARIANS?
    The Clean Energy Benefit applies to all Ontarians regardless of their status, income, or location. Low- to middle-income Ontarians, seniors and northern Ontarians have an even greater need for relief on their energy bills and these other programs reflect this need.
    
    The proposed OCEB together with the Northern Ontario Energy Credit and the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit will all help mitigate electricity costs for families.
16. DOESN'T THE ONTARIO CLEAN ENERGY BENEFIT REWARD THOSE WHO USE MORE ELECTRICITY - HOW DOES THIS HELP ENCOURAGE CONSERVATION?
    The OCEB is a responsible way of helping Ontario families, farms and small businesses through the transition to a cleaner electricity system. All consumers are encouraged to conserve, and there'll be new programs coming to further encourage conservation.
17. WHAT INVESTMENTS ARE BEING MADE IN ONTARIO'S ELECTRICITY SYSTEM?
    Ontario's Long-Term Energy Plan is designed to ensure that Ontario has a reliable energy supply and that the province continues to modernize our electricity system. Ontario is making key investments to keep the lights on, to ensure a cleaner energy system and to build a growing clean economy.
18. HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
    For Ministry Call Centre: If the question relates to the calculation of the bill, contact the utility.
    For Utility Call centres: If the question is about other issues, call the Ministry of Energy, toll-free at 1-888-668-4636.