Sources and Methodology

British Columbia

The B.C. residential electricity rate used in this report is based on the BC Hydro residential rate - Adobe p64 of 193.

Basic charge: 20.90 cents per day (0.2090*30) = $6.27 per month

Energy charge:

  1. For customers billed monthly:
    1. Step 1: First 675 kW.h per month @ 9.45 ¢/kW.h
    2. Step 2: Additional kW.h per month @ 14.17 ¢/kW.h
  2. For customers billed bi-monthly:
    1. Step 1: First 1 350 kW.h per two months @ 9.45 ¢/kW.h
    2. Step 2: Additional kW.h per two months @ 14.17 ¢/kW.h

 

Minimum charge: the basic charge

Alberta

The Alberta residential electricity rate used in this report is based on the Enmax residential regulated rate. A monthly average was calculated for 2020.

Administration fee – $6.190 per month
Energy charge – 7.430 ¢/kW.h

Variable distribution: 1.08 ¢/kW.h
Fixed distribution: 0.53/day ($15.91 per month)
Variable transmission: 1.95 ¢/kW.h
Balancing pool rider: 0.26 ¢/kW.h
Per kW.h rate rider 2.18 ¢/kW.h
Distribution rate rider: -0.019 per month
Local access fee: $7.32/month

Saskatchewan

Standard Rate effective 1 January, 2020
Basic monthly charge: $22.79
Energy charge: 14.228 ¢/kW.h
Federal carbon charge: 0.5744 ¢/kW.h

Manitoba

Manitoba residential rates – Manitoba Public Utilities Board, Manitoba Hydro
Basic monthly charge: $8.62
Energy charge: 8.740 ¢/kW.h

Ontario

Ontario Energy Board – see table below. The rates used in the report reflect the average residential rates in 2019.

Table 1: 2019 Average Residential Electricity Bill - based on 750 kW.h monthly consumption
Electricity Distribution Transmission Line Losses Regulatory Sub-total Tax Rebate Total Bill

Jan

61.49

31.61

9.17

3.29

3.33

108.89

14.16

8.71

114.34

Feb

61.49

31.61

9.17

3.29

3.33

108.89

14.16

8.71

114.34

Mar

61.49

31.61

9.17

3.29

3.33

108.89

14.16

8.71

114.34

Apr

61.49

31.61

9.17

3.29

3.33

108.89

14.16

8.71

114.34

May

61.76

32.21

9.30

3.27

3.33

109.87

14.28

8.79

115.37

June

61.76

32.21

9.30

3.27

3.33

109.87

14.28

8.79

115.37

July

61.76

32.21

9.30

3.27

3.33

109.87

14.28

8.79

115.37

Aug

61.76

32.21

9.30

3.27

3.33

109.87

14.28

8.79

115.37

Sept

61.76

32.21

9.30

3.27

3.33

109.87

14.28

8.79

115.37

Oct

61.76

32.21

9.30

3.27

3.33

109.87

14.28

8.79

115.37

Nov

96.00

32.21

9.30

5.08

3.33

145.92

18.97

46.40

118.49

Dec

96.00

32.21

9.30

5.08

3.33

145.92

18.97

46.40

118.49

Average

67.38

32.01

9.26

3.59

3.33

115.81

15.02

15.03

115.54

Quebec

Hydro-Québec
Hydro rate has two-tiered pricing:

  • 6.08 ¢/kW.h for energy consumed up to 40 kW.h per day times the number of days in the consumption period (1st tier)
  • 9.38 ¢/kW.h for the remaining energy consumed (2nd tier)

Hydro Québec takes into account the total consumption during the consumption period.

For example, if a consumption period covers 62 days, 2 480 kW.h (40 kW.h per day × 62 days = 2480 kW.h) will be billed at the 1st tier price. Any remaining energy consumption will be billed using the 2nd tier price.

For the report we multiplied the per day energy cost by 30 days. Therefore, up to 1 200 kW.h is priced at 6.08 ¢/kW.h and greater than 1 200 kW.h is priced at 9.38 ¢/kW.h.

We also took the 40.64 ¢/day access fee and multiplied it by 30 days, to get a per month charge.

Newfoundland and Labrador

The rates effective September 2019 are available from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

The energy cost (for 200 amp service) is 12.203 ¢/kW.h, with a fixed charge of $15.97.

New Brunswick

The rates effective 18 July 2019.
That category of residential customers located in all incorporated cities, towns and villages with population over 2 000 served by NB Power.

The energy charge is 11.18 ¢/kW.h. The basic charge is $22.39 per month.

Nova Scotia

The rates effective 1 January 2020 are available from Nova Scotia Power.
The energy charge is 17.709 ¢/kW.h. The minimum monthly charge is $10.83.

Prince Edward Island

The rates used in this report are for residential urban; that category of residential customers located in all incorporated cities, towns and villages with population over 2 000 served by Maritime Electric.

The rates are 14.37 ¢/kW.h for the first 2 000 kW.h and 11.42 ¢/kW.h for the balance. The service charge is $24.57 per month.

Yukon

The rates as of 1 December 2019 are available from Yukon Utilities Board.

The rates used in this report are residential non-government (1160).

The energy charge is 12.14 ¢/kW.h between 1-1 000 kW.h, 12.82 ¢/kW.h between 1 001 – 2&nsbp;500 kW.h and 2 501 and over kW.h is 13.99 ¢/kW.h. The customer charge is $14.65 per month.

Northwest Territories

The rates differ by community. The report uses the rates for Northland Utilities (Yellowknife) Limited in Yellowknife, which is the largest centre in the Northwest Territories.

The energy charge is 23.72 ¢/kW.h and the minimum monthly charge, or customer charge is $18.00.

Nunavut

The rates differ by community. The report uses the Qalliq Energy Corporation, domestic non-government rate for Iqaluit which is the largest population centre in Nunavut.

The energy charge is 58.56 ¢/kW.h.

The Territory of Nunavut provides two subsidies for electrical power rates for its residential customers.

  • a territorial subsidy to equate all rates across the territory
  • public housing subsidy for those customers on income assistance

The territorial subsidy customer pays 29.28 ¢/kW.h up to 700 kW.h from April 1 to Sept 30 after which the customer pays the full rate for additional usage based on the community rate.

The territorial subsidy customer pays 29.28 ¢/kW.h up to 1000 kW.h from Oct 1 to March 31 after which the customer pays the full community rate base.

Public housing subsidy customers pay $0.06/kW.h throughout the year.

In addition to the above, the customer also pays, or can be refunded, a fuel stabilization rider (FSR), which is zero currently.

The report has not attempted to quantify the subsidies.

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