Expect your electricity bill to go up

Get ready for higher hydro rates.

Starting May 1st, all three rates are going up.

The biggest increase is to the peak period price,  weekdays from 11 am to 5 pm. It’s up just over 2 cents to 16.1 cents per kilowatt hour.

The off-peak rate, from 7 pm to 7 am and on weekends and holidays, will be 8 cents per kilowatt hour.

The mid-peak rate will be 12.2 cents a kilowatt hour.

The Ontario Energy Board estimates the change to a 2:1 ratio between peak and off-peak rates will add $5.71 to the average household electricity bill.

But, the board says the change to a higher peak rate gives consumers more of an opportunity to lower their bills by doing laundry and dishes at off-peak times.

MPP Vic Fedeli says the peak period price is now approaching four times what it was when the Liberals took office in 2003,   “How are families going to afford this?  People across this province are already being forced to choose between food and fuel or whether to heat or eat.  This is unconscionable,” 

(With files from The Canadian Press)