Residential, small business and farm customers in Ontario can count on a flat electricity rate of 10.1 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the next 45 days. That’s typically the off-peak cost under the provincial time-of-use pricing plan, which sees rates shoot up to 20.8 cents/kWh during the six designated peak hours in the morning and evening and sit at 14.4 cents/kWh for the afternoon.

The Ontario government announced the short-term discounted rates earlier today to recognize that homes are no longer empty during the work and school day. Since the government first issued its request for people to stay home as much as possible earlier this month, many residential customers had been racking up inescapable higher costs of consuming electricity during the daytime hours.

“During this unprecedented time, we are providing much needed relief to Ontarians, specifically helping those who are doing the right thing by staying home and small businesses that have closed or are seeing fewer customers,” says Premier Doug Ford.

“We thank the Ontario Energy Board and our partners at local distribution companies across the province for taking quick action to make this change and provide immediate support for hardworking people of Ontario,” adds Bill Walker, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Energy.