The Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) provides monthly on-bill credits for lower-income customers to reduce their electricity bills.
Ontario Electricity Support Program Eligibility Thresholds
As of March 1, 2024, the OESP after-tax annual income eligibility thresholds increased.
- Applications assessed on or after March 1, 2024, will be subject to the increased eligibility thresholds; and
- Current OESP recipients, who may be eligible for higher credit amounts, must reapply on or after March 1, 2024.
Through the OESP, you may be eligible to receive a credit of up to $900 a year on your electricity bill.
- A monthly on-bill credit of between $35 and $75 is available to households earning less than $71,000 a year.
- If your home is electrically heated, or you rely on certain medical devices requiring a lot of power, the OESP offers a higher level of assistance.
Eligibility is based on the combined household income and how many people live in your house.
Eligibility
The Statistics Canada Low-Income Measure (LIM) will be used to determine which applicants are eligible to receive the credit. The credit amount will be based on combined household income and the number of people in the home.
Income (after tax) Eligibility Thresholds and Base OESP Credits
| Household Income Effective until Feb. 29, 2024 | Household Income Effective March 1, 2024 | Household Size (Number of people living in household) | ||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7+ | ||
| $28,000 or less | $38,000 or less | $45 | $45 | $51 | $57 | $63 | $75 | $75 |
| $28,001 - $39,000 | $38,001 - $54,000 |
| $40 | $45 | $51 | $57 | $63 | $75 |
| $39,001 - $48,000 | $54,001 - $65,000 |
|
| $35 | $40 | $45 | $51 | $57 |
| $48,001 - $52,000 | $65,001 - $71,000 |
|
|
|
| $35 | $40 | $45 |
Note: amounts are subject to verification and may change.
Will all applications be assessed under the new March 1, 2024, income eligibility thresholds? Applications assessed on or after March 1, 2024, will be subject to the increased eligibility thresholds.
Current OESP recipients, who may be eligible for higher credit amounts, must reapply on or after March 1, 2024.
For example:
- Before March 1, 2024, a household of three with an income (after tax) of $45,000 would qualify for a $35 monthly on-bill credit.
- Effective March 1, 2024, a household of three with an income (after tax) of $45,000 would qualify for a $45 monthly on-bill credit.
Current OESP recipients who may be eligible for higher credit amounts but do not reapply on or after March 1, 2024, will continue to receive their existing credit for the remainder of their eligibility period.
Current OESP recipients who are not eligible for higher credit amounts will continue to receive their existing credit for the remainder of their eligibility period.
For example:
- Before March 1, 2024, a household of two with an income (after tax) of $38,500 would qualify for a $40 monthly on-bill credit before and after March 1, 2024.
How to Apply
To apply or to find out if you qualify, visit OntarioElectricitySupport.ca or call 1-855-831-8151.
You will need the following information to apply:
- Your electricity bill account number, service address, and account holder’s full name (see Hydro Ottawa bill sample below).
- The birthdates and names of all residents in your home.
- Social Insurance Numbers, individual tax numbers, or temporary taxation numbers for residents over the age of 16.
You must enter your information exactly as it appears on your electricity bill. If the information is not entered as it appears, the application may be returned for correction.
Applications can take anywhere between four to six weeks to process. If you qualify, the credit will appear directly on your electricity bill in about six to eight weeks after you have been approved.
If you need assistance to complete the application, please contact your local social service agency. Remote application assistance is also available if there are no social service agencies located close to your place of residence or you are unable to travel to your nearest agency due to:
- Limitations in personal mobility;
- Illness;
- Access to transportation; or
- Extenuating circumstances.
Under most circumstances, the OESP credit is applied to customer bills for two years. After two years, customers need to reapply to continue receiving the credit. Once a customer has reapplied, the amount of their OESP credit may go up or down, or stay the same depending on if and how their financial and/or living conditions have changed. Customers may re-apply online or in person through their local social service agency.
Eligible customers whose circumstances are unlikely to change, for example seniors 65 years or older and Canada Pension Plan disability pensioners may only need to reapply to the OESP every five years.
Moving? If so, you will need to reapply to the OESP after you move to continue receiving the credit.
Having temporary difficulty paying your bill? The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program provides one-time emergency financial support to eligible low-income customers.