~50% Reduction in Your Utility Bill: OESP

Both tables below come directly from the Ontario Energy Board's published OESP schedule (effective since the March 1, 2024 threshold increase). All income figures are after tax.

Standard monthly credit ($/month):

Higher monthly credit — energy-intensive ($/month):

Available if you heat your home with electricity, use a qualifying electricity-intensive medical device (e.g., CPAP/BiPAP, oxygen concentrator, dialysis), or are Indigenous or live with Indigenous family members.

Source: Ontario Energy Board, OESP schedule (effective March 1, 2024).

You qualify for OESP if all three of the following are true:

• The electricity account is in your name. If you rent and electricity is bundled into your rent (no bill in your name), OESP doesn't apply — though provincial assistance programs that go through your landlord may.
• Your after-tax household income falls below the threshold for your household size — see the table above. A "household" means everyone living at the address.
• Everyone in the household over 16 with income has either a SIN, an Individual Tax Number (ITN), or a Temporary Tax Number (TTN). The OESP team verifies income through the Canada Revenue Agency.

You do not need to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. You do not need to be on social assistance — many working-poor and lower-middle-income households qualify, especially since the March 2024 threshold expansion. Seniors on a fixed CPP/OAS income often fall well inside the bracket.

The energy-intensive credit is where OESP really moves the needle. You qualify for the higher tier if any one of these applies:

• Electric heat. Baseboard, electric furnace, electric heat pump as the primary heating source. Common in older Toronto apartments, condos, and rural properties.
• Qualifying electricity-intensive medical device in regular use. Examples: CPAP or BiPAP machine, oxygen concentrator, home dialysis equipment, certain ventilators. You'll be asked to confirm the device on the application.
• Indigenous status (or living with Indigenous family members). The Ontario Native Welfare Administrators Association (ONWAA) helps with applications at 1-844-885-3157 or oesp@onwaa.ca.

The difference is significant. A 1-person household on electric heat earning ≤$38K gets $68/month instead of $45/month — that's $276 more per year. A 6-person household on electric heat earning ≤$38K gets $113/month instead of $75 — a $456/year difference.

Before you start, have these ready:

• Your most recent electricity bill — you'll need the account number and the name of your local distribution company (LDC), e.g., Toronto Hydro, Alectra, Hydro One.
• Names and birthdates of everyone living at the address.
• SIN / ITN / TTN for every household member 16 and older with income.
• If applying for the energy-intensive tier — be ready to confirm the heat source or the medical device.

Then choose one of three paths:

1. Online at ontarioelectricitysupport.ca — fastest. About 15 minutes.
2. By phone at 1-855-831-8151 — the OESP Contact Centre walks you through it.
3. In-person at an accredited community intake agency — useful if you don't have a CRA-linked online account or need help with documents. The Contact Centre will tell you which agency is closest.

Approval typically takes a few weeks. Once approved, the credit appears on your electricity bill within one or two billing cycles. OESP credits are not transferable, not refundable, and have no cash value — but neither does the alternative (paying full price).

OESP is the foundation, but it's designed to combine with other provincial programs. Don't leave the rest on the table.

• Ontario Electricity Rebate (OER) — applies automatically to almost every Ontario electricity bill. It's a percentage discount on the pre-tax subtotal. No application needed. Check your bill — you should already see "Ontario Electricity Rebate" as a negative line item.
• LEAP (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program) — a one-time emergency grant of up to $650 per year ($780 if electrically heated) if you've fallen behind on bills and are at risk of disconnection. Apply through community agencies — Toronto Hydro lists them on its financial-assistance page. You can use LEAP in the same year as OESP.
• Energy Affordability Program (EAP) — free home energy upgrades for income-eligible households: LED bulbs, smart power bars, weather-stripping, insulation, even free fridges in some cases. Apply via the Save on Energy website. Stack with OESP — they don't conflict.
• Emergency Energy Fund (EEF) — City of Toronto crisis fund for residents who've received a disconnection notice or are already disconnected. Separate from LEAP.

If you're OESP-eligible and don't have OER showing on your bill — call your utility. Something is set up wrong on the account.

OESP isn't a one-and-done. Most households renew every 2 years. If you're 65 or older or receiving a CPP disability pension, you renew every 5 years.

The OESP team mails (or emails) you a renewal notice before your benefit period ends. Don't ignore it — if you let it lapse, the credit stops and you have to re-apply from scratch. The renewal is simpler than the initial application because your file is already on record.

If your circumstances change mid-period — household member moves in or out, income drops significantly — you can update the OESP application proactively and qualify for a higher credit immediately, rather than waiting for renewal.

• "I won't qualify, I make too much." The 2024 threshold raise pushed eligibility up to $71,000 after-tax for larger households. Run the table above against your actual after-tax income before assuming.
• "I'm a renter, I can't apply." Yes you can — as long as the bill is in your name, you're fully eligible.
• "I'll apply when I'm in trouble." OESP is preventative, not emergency relief. Approval takes weeks. If you're already in arrears, LEAP and EEF are the emergency tools.
• "It's just a few dollars." At the energy-intensive tier, it's $816 to $1,356 a year. That's a month of groceries.
• Letting your renewal lapse. Calendar the date. Don't let two free months of credit evaporate because you didn't open an envelope.
• Door-to-door OESP scams. The Ontario Energy Board does not send anyone to your door for OESP. If someone shows up offering to "fill out your application" or wants a fee for it — close the door. The real application is free, online, and at ontarioelectricitysupport.ca.