If you are behind on your hydro bill, Ontario's licensed electricity utilities cannot cut off your home from November 15, 2026 to April 30, 2027. The ban stops shut-offs, but the debt stays.
Two programs help with the cost. The Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) lowers your electricity bill with a credit every month. An emergency grant called LEAP can pay part of an overdue bill once a year.
This guide is for households behind on hydro or gas, or worried they soon will be. It shows who the ban misses, how to apply, and when to apply so the credit reaches your bill this winter.
The short answer
If you are behind on your hydro or gas bill in Ontario, regulated utilities cannot cut off your home from November 15, 2026 to April 30, 2027. Two programs help with the cost.
Checked October 23, 2026
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Key facts · 5 facts · checked October 23, 2026ShowHide
- Winter ban: November 15, 2026 to April 30, 2027; cut-off homes reconnected by December 1.
- OESP credit: $35 to $75 a month, or $52 to $113 for electric heat and some other homes.
- On the Ontario Disability Support Program or Ontario Works? You qualify for OESP; apply through your caseworker.
- LEAP pays up to $650, or $780 with electric heat, straight to the utility.
- Unit sub-meter providers in condos and apartments are not covered by the winter ban.
Main source: Ontario Electricity Support Program (Ontario Energy Board)
What the winter ban does
The ban runs from November 15, 2026 to 11:59 pm on April 30, 2027. In that time, a licensed electricity utility cannot disconnect a home for non-payment. The ban comes back every winter.
If your home was already cut off for non-payment and someone lives there, the utility must reconnect it by December 1, 2026. Reconnection is free.
Load limiters cap how much power a home can draw. Utilities cannot use them during the ban. Any limiter already on a home must come off by December 1, 2026, free, unless you asked for it.
Rate-regulated gas utilities such as Enbridge Gas follow the same ban, from November 15 to April 30. They must also reconnect lived-in homes by December 1, 2026, at no charge.
What the ban does not do
- It does not cancel what you owe. Bills and interest keep building all winter.
- Late payment charges of 1.5% a month (19.56% a year) keep adding up.
- In April 2027, the last month of the ban, a utility can send a disconnection notice. The shut-off can then happen after April 30, 2027.
Who the ban does not protect
Many condos and apartment buildings use a unit sub-meter provider. This is a company that bills each unit for its own electricity. The winter ban does not apply to these providers, so they may still disconnect for non-payment in winter.
If your electricity bill comes from a company other than your local hydro utility, read the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) page on unit sub-meter providers. Then apply for help before a notice arrives.
Sub-metered renters can still apply for OESP and LEAP. A LEAP intake agency can pause a sub-meter provider's disconnection for up to 21 days. The low-income customer rules apply to these providers too.
For gas, Kitchener Utilities and Utilities Kingston are not rate-regulated by the OEB. They set their own customer service policies, so the OEB gas rules do not automatically apply. If one of them is your gas company, call and ask how it handles unpaid bills in winter.
Ontario Electricity Support Program: the monthly credit
OESP is a monthly credit on your electricity bill. The amount depends on how many people live in your home and your household's combined after-tax income. A single person qualifies only with after-tax income of $38,000 or less.
The standard credit runs from $35 to $75 a month. Some homes get a higher credit, from $52 to $113 a month. The current amounts and income limits have applied since March 1, 2024.
You may get the higher credit if one of these applies:
- Your home is heated with electricity.
- Someone in the home uses an at-home oxygen concentrator, a mechanical ventilator or a kidney dialysis machine.
- Your household is Indigenous, or you live with Indigenous family members.
Standard credit by household size
Find your household's after-tax income at the top and the number of people on the left. Amounts are per month; "None" means no credit.
| People | $38,000 or less | $38,001 to $54,000 | $54,001 to $65,000 | $65,001 to $71,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $45 | None | None | None |
| 2 | $45 | $40 | None | None |
| 3 | $51 | $45 | $35 | None |
| 4 | $57 | $51 | $40 | None |
| 5 | $63 | $57 | $45 | $35 |
| 6 | $75 | $63 | $51 | $40 |
| 7 | $75 | $75 | $57 | $45 |
Swipe for more →
Higher credit by household size
| People | $38,000 or less | $38,001 to $54,000 | $54,001 to $65,000 | $65,001 to $71,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $68 | None | None | None |
| 2 | $68 | $60 | None | None |
| 3 | $75 | $68 | $52 | None |
| 4 | $83 | $75 | $60 | None |
| 5 | $90 | $83 | $68 | $52 |
| 6 | $113 | $90 | $75 | $60 |
| 7 or more | $113 | $113 | $83 | $68 |
Swipe for more →
Who counts and what income counts
For OESP, your household is everyone who lives at the address for at least 6 months a year. That includes roommates as well as family. Household income is the combined after-tax income of everyone aged 18 or older.
Child benefits do not count as income. That means the Child Tax Benefit, the Universal Child Care Benefit and the Ontario Child Benefit. OSAP, the Canada Disability Benefit and the RDSP do not count either.
If you are on ODSP or Ontario Works
If you get ODSP or Ontario Works, you automatically qualify for OESP. You still have to apply, and you do it through your caseworker. Ask them to start the OESP application, and write down the date you asked.
The amount still depends on your household size and income, as in the tables above. To see what your monthly payment is, read the guides to ODSP rates and Ontario Works rates.
How to apply on your own
- What you need: your electricity bill, the names and birthdates of everyone in the home as registered with the CRA, and SINs or temporary tax numbers for everyone 18 and older.
- Online: apply at OESP.ca. This is the fastest way.
- By mail: call 1-855-831-8151 and ask for a paper form.
- With an agency: a designated intake agency helps for free. Go this way if you have not filed a recent tax return or your situation changed. Bring proof of household income, and call ahead for an appointment.
OESP approval lasts 2 years, then you reapply. It lasts 5 years if you are 65 or older or get a CPP disability pension.
LEAP: emergency help with an overdue bill
The Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is an emergency grant for households that are behind on their bill and may face disconnection. The grant cannot be more than what you owe. It is paid straight to your utility, so you do not get a cheque.
- Up to $650 toward an electricity bill.
- Up to $780 toward an electricity bill if your home is heated with electricity.
- Up to $650 toward a natural gas bill.
LEAP is meant to be used once a year. In exceptional cases, an agency can allow a second application if your first grant was below the maximum.
You apply through a designated intake agency, not online. Once the agency tells your utility or sub-meter provider that you may be eligible, the disconnection process must pause for up to 21 days.
LEAP income limits
LEAP uses the same after-tax income limits as OESP.
| People | After-tax income |
|---|---|
| 1 | Up to $38,000 |
| 2 | Up to $54,000 |
| 3 to 4 | Up to $65,000 |
| 5 or more | Up to $71,000 |
What to bring to a LEAP appointment
- Your ID.
- Your current electricity and gas bills.
- Any disconnection notice you received.
- Your lease, a rent receipt or something similar.
- Proof of household income.
- Your latest bank statement.
Find an intake agency on the Ontario Energy Board's LEAP page.
Payment plans and other low-income rules
The OEB sets extra customer service rules for low-income customers. You qualify if you receive OESP or got LEAP emergency help in the past 2 years. You have to ask: tell your utility or sub-meter provider that you want to use these rules.
- No security deposit: your electricity provider must waive the deposit if you ask.
- Longer payment plans: at least 8, 12 or 16 months to pay back what you owe. The more you owe compared with your average monthly bill, the longer the plan. Regular customers get at least 5 or 10 months.
- Down payment: the utility can ask for a down payment of up to 10%.
- No reconnection fee: low-income customers do not pay the reconnection charge. A utility should generally reconnect within 2 business days after the bill is paid in full or a payment plan is made.
When to apply so help arrives this winter
Apply as early as you can. OESP tells you if you qualify about 4 to 6 weeks after it has your complete application and signed consent forms. If you are approved, the credit shows on your bill about 6 to 8 weeks later. That is about 10 to 14 weeks in all.
As a rough estimate, an application finished in early November would show its first credit between mid January and mid February. That is still inside the ban, which runs to April 30, 2027. An application left until spring may not reach your bill until after the ban ends.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Now | Apply for OESP. On ODSP or Ontario Works, ask your caseworker. If you are behind on a bill, call a LEAP intake agency. |
| November 15, 2026 | The ban starts for electricity utilities and rate-regulated gas utilities. |
| December 1, 2026 | Lived-in homes that were cut off must be reconnected, free. Load limiters come off. |
| Mid January to mid February | First OESP credit, if your application was complete in early November (rough estimate). |
| April 2027 | Notices may arrive for a shut-off after the ban ends. |
| April 30, 2027, 11:59 pm | The ban ends. |
Examples by household
These are examples only.
Example: single adult on ODSP. Their after-tax income is $38,000 or less. Through the caseworker, the standard credit is $45 a month, or $540 a year. With electric heat or an oxygen concentrator, the higher credit is $68 a month, or $816 a year.
Example: single parent, two children. This is a household of 3. Only adult income counts, and child benefits are left out. If the parent's after-tax income is between $38,001 and $54,000, the standard credit is $45 a month, or $68 a month with electric heat.
Example: senior couple. Both are 65 or older, with after-tax income between $38,001 and $54,000. Their standard credit is $40 a month, or $480 a year. Their approval lasts 5 years instead of 2.
Example: electric heat, overdue bill. The household qualifies for LEAP and owes more than $780. LEAP can pay up to $780 straight to the utility. The rest can go on a low-income payment plan of at least 8, 12 or 16 months.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until spring. The debt grows all winter, with late charges of 1.5% a month. A notice sent in April 2027 can lead to a shut-off right after April 30, 2027.
- Counting on a long notice. The usual disconnection notice is at least 14 days. The 60-day notice is only for homes where a doctor documents a significant health risk.
- Using old LEAP amounts. On March 1, 2024, the most LEAP pays rose from $500 to $650. For electrically heated homes, it rose from $600 to $780.
- Assuming the money has run out. Since March 1, 2024, the OEB's
- Giving up above the limit. A single person with after-tax income above $38,000 does not qualify for OESP or LEAP. The ban and regular payment plans of at least 5 or 10 months still apply.
Your next steps
Start now and go in this order. OESP takes weeks to start, and the low-income rules only apply once you have OESP or a recent LEAP grant.
- Check who sends your electricity bill. If it is a sub-meter provider, the ban does not cover you, so act now.
- On ODSP or Ontario Works: call your caseworker this week and ask them to apply for OESP.
- Everyone else: apply at OESP.ca, or call 1-855-831-8151 for a paper form.
- Behind on a bill or holding a notice: call a LEAP intake agency now. Find one on the OEB's LEAP page.
- Call your utility or sub-meter provider. If you have OESP or got LEAP in the past 2 years, ask to use the low-income rules. Set up a payment plan you can keep.
- Ask Save on Energy's Energy Affordability Program about free advice and home upgrades. Account holders who got ODSP, Ontario Works, OESP, LEAP or the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) in the past 12 months can qualify.
- File your tax return every year. The CRA uses it to work out the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit and, in the north, the Northern Ontario Energy Credit.
- Before April, pay down what you can, so a spring notice does not catch you short.
Questions people ask
How much is the Ontario Electricity Support Program credit?
The standard OESP credit is $35 to $75 a month, based on household size and combined after-tax income. Homes with electric heat, a qualifying medical device or Indigenous household members can get a higher credit of $52 to $113 a month. A single person qualifies only with after-tax income of $38,000 or less.
Do ODSP or Ontario Works recipients automatically get OESP?
They automatically qualify, but they still have to apply through their caseworker. The amount still depends on household size and income. The standard credit is $35 to $75 a month. Once approved, it shows on the bill about 6 to 8 weeks later, so ask your caseworker early.
How long does it take for OESP to show up on my hydro bill?
OESP tells you if you qualify about 4 to 6 weeks after it has your complete application and signed consent forms. If you are approved, the credit appears on your bill about 6 to 8 weeks later. Apply in the fall to get credits during the winter.
Can my hydro be shut off in winter in Ontario?
Licensed electricity utilities cannot disconnect a home for non-payment from November 15, 2026 to April 30, 2027. Rate-regulated gas utilities such as Enbridge Gas follow the same ban. Unit sub-meter providers in condos and apartments are not covered and may still disconnect in winter.
How do I apply for LEAP in Ontario and how much can I get?
You apply through a designated intake agency, listed on the <a href="https://www.oeb.ca/consumer-information-and-protection/bill-assistance-programs/low-income-energy-assistance-program">Ontario Energy Board's LEAP page</a>. You must be behind on your bill and at risk of disconnection. LEAP can pay up to $650 toward an electricity bill, or $780 if your home is heated electrically, and up to $650 toward a gas bill.
Does the Ontario Electricity Support Program help with gas bills?
No. OESP is a credit on your electricity bill only. If you are behind on a natural gas bill, LEAP can pay up to $650 straight to your gas utility. Rate-regulated gas utilities also cannot cut off homes for non-payment from November 15, 2026 to April 30, 2027.
Do I have to reapply for OESP?
Yes. OESP credits last 2 years, and then you need to reapply. If you are 65 or older or receive a CPP disability pension, the credit lasts 5 years. Reapply before your term ends, because a new decision takes about 4 to 6 weeks.