The Ontario government is preparing to announce relief for residential electricity users struggling because of the COVID-19 emergency, Village Media has learned.
Sources close to those discussions say a decision has been made to lengthen the existing five-month disconnect moratorium by an additional three months.
News releases about the moratorium extension are currently being drafted and are expected to be released as early as Wednesday.
Electricity utilities in Ontario are currently prohibited from disconnecting residential customers for non-payment during the winter period from November 15 to April 30.
The province is also looking at providing further relief by adjusting time-of-use prices, which are designed to encourage shifting of energy use away from periods of high total consumption to periods of low demand.
But that would require Ontario Energy Board approval and no decision has been finalized, our sources advise.