The Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) is a monthly credit the Ontario Energy Board puts directly on the electricity bill of lower-income households in Ontario. Most eligible households get $35 to $75 off every month, and some get between $52 and $113. Whether you qualify depends on your household size and your after-tax income, and anyone on Ontario Works or ODSP qualifies automatically. We're Bree, an interest-free line of credit up to $750 used by more than 600,000 Canadians, and we built this guide because the households OESP is designed for are the same ones we help bridge the gap between a bill and a benefit payment.
Key Takeaways
- OESP is a credit on your hydro bill, not a cheque or a refund. The discount appears directly on your monthly electricity bill once you are approved.
- Standard credits run $35 to $75 a month; enhanced credits run $52 to $113. The higher band is for households with electric heating, certain medical devices, or Indigenous customers.
- Eligibility depends on household size and after-tax income. A single person earning $38,000 or less qualifies, rising to $71,000 for a household of five or more.
- People on Ontario Works or ODSP qualify automatically but still have to apply through their caseworker.
- Approval takes six to eight weeks and is not backdated. OESP lowers your future bills, not the one due this month.
What Is the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP)?
OESP is a monthly on-bill credit for lower-income Ontario households, administered by the Ontario Energy Board. It is not a loan, a rebate cheque, or a one-time payment. The credit is applied straight to your electricity bill every month for as long as you stay eligible, which lowers the amount you owe your utility.
To qualify, you have to be the person whose name is on the electricity account at your primary home, meaning the place you live in for at least six months of the year. The program covers renters and owners, and it also covers people in sub-metered apartments and condos, where a unit sub-meter provider bills you for electricity instead of a traditional utility.
OESP is funded through Ontario's electricity system and delivered by the Ontario Energy Board, the same body that regulates electricity and natural gas rates in the province. There is no cost to apply, and free help is available if you need it.
Who Qualifies for OESP in 2026?
Eligibility comes down to two things: your total household size and your combined after-tax household income. The more people in your home, the higher the income you can earn and still qualify. These are the after-tax income limits that have been in place since March 1, 2024:
- 1 person: $38,000 or less
- 2 people: $54,000 or less
- 3 to 4 people: $65,000 or less
- 5 or more people: $71,000 or less
Ontario raised these thresholds on March 1, 2024, so more households qualify now than did before. The new limits reflect Canada's 2020 Low-Income Measure. If you applied in the past and were turned down because your income was slightly too high, it is worth reapplying under the current, higher thresholds.
People who receive Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) automatically qualify for OESP based on income, but qualifying is not the same as being enrolled. You still have to apply, and the Ontario Energy Board directs Ontario Works and ODSP recipients to contact their caseworker to start the process.
How Much Is the OESP Credit?
Standard OESP credits range from $35 to $75 per month, and the exact amount depends on your household size and your after-tax income bracket. All amounts are in Canadian dollars and are applied to your bill every month.
Source: Utilities Kingston: Ontario Electricity Support Program, which publishes the Ontario Energy Board's program rates. As an example, a home with four people and an after-tax income of $65,000 receives an on-bill credit of $40 each month.
Some households qualify for a higher band of $52 to $113 per month. You may receive these enhanced credits if your home uses electric heating, if someone in the household relies on an electricity-intensive medical device such as a kidney dialysis machine, a mechanical ventilator, or an oxygen concentrator, or if you are an Indigenous customer or live with Indigenous family members.
How to Apply for OESP
There are three ways to apply, and all of them are free. Choose whichever is easiest for you:
- Online through the official OESP portal at ontarioelectricitysupport.ca.
- By phone at 1-855-831-8151, the OESP contact centre (toll-free within Ontario).
- In person with free help from a local intake agency, found through the OESP portal, which can also help if you have not filed your taxes recently or your situation has changed.
Before you start, gather these documents:
- Your most recent electricity bill.
- The names and birthdates of everyone in your household, as registered with the Canada Revenue Agency.
- A Social Insurance Number, or a temporary tax number, for every household member aged 18 and over.
You will also sign a consent form that lets the program verify your household income with the CRA. Applications take six to eight weeks to process, and the credit does not appear on your bill until all of your information is submitted. The credit is not backdated to your application date, so the sooner you apply, the sooner the savings start.
OESP Renewal, Seniors, and People on ODSP or Ontario Works
Most people have to renew OESP every two years, or sooner if their household size or income changes. Seniors aged 65 and over, and people receiving a disability benefit under the Canada Pension Plan, renew every five years instead.
Seniors are not enrolled automatically. If you are 65 or older, you still have to apply the same way everyone else does, but once you are approved you keep the longer five-year eligibility window before you need to reapply.
For people on fixed benefit income, OESP pairs well with the rest of your monthly budget planning. If you receive ODSP, Ontario Works, or CPP on a set schedule, knowing your exact benefit dates helps you line up bills against deposits. Our guides to ODSP payment dates and Ontario Works payment dates lay out when each payment lands.
Is OESP Legit, or a Scam?
OESP is a real, free government program run by the Ontario Energy Board. Nobody will ever ask to visit your home as part of the process. Home energy assessments, audits, inspections, and home visits are never required to apply for OESP, so treat anyone who demands one, or who asks for a fee to sign you up, as a red flag.
Applying costs nothing, the intake agencies that help you apply do it for free, and the only official channels are the OESP portal, the phone line, and a registered intake agency. If an offer sounds like it is charging you to access a free credit, it is not OESP.
OESP vs Other Ontario Energy Rebates
OESP is one of several Ontario electricity supports, and they are easy to mix up. OESP is an income-tested credit from the Ontario Energy Board that appears on your bill only if you apply and qualify. It is different from two other programs:
- The Ontario Electricity Rebate is a broad reduction applied automatically to most residential electricity bills, with no separate application to fill out.
- The Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC) is a tax credit paid out through the Ontario Trillium Benefit, not a discount on your hydro bill. If you are tracking that payment, see our guide to Ontario Trillium Benefit payment dates.
If you are behind on an electricity bill right now, a separate program called the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) offers one-time emergency grants toward arrears, paid directly to your utility. OESP and LEAP can work together: LEAP clears an emergency, and OESP lowers your ongoing bills.
What to Do While You Wait for OESP
OESP is worth applying for, but it has real limits for anyone in a tight month. It takes six to eight weeks to approve, it is not backdated, and a credit of $35 to $113 lowers a bill without clearing a full shortfall. For households living on fixed benefit dates, the bill often lands before the next ODSP, Ontario Works, or CPP deposit does, and OESP does nothing for that timing gap.
That gap is where Bree fits. Bree is an interest-free line of credit up to $750 with 0% APR and no credit check, built for Canadians between paycheques and benefit payments. Approval is based on your bank transaction history, not your credit score, and government benefits including ODSP, Ontario Works, CPP, CCB, and EI count as qualifying income, which most lenders reject.
There are no mandatory fees. Bree is free to use, and the only costs are an optional tip and an optional express fee if you want your money faster. Funds arrive by direct deposit to your bank account: standard delivery is free and takes one to three business days, and express delivery gets cash in minutes for an optional fee. You repay on your own schedule, and you will see your terms before you accept.
If you are weighing your options after a declined payment, our guide to payday loan alternatives in Ontario compares the real costs, and you can see how a $750 line of credit works in a few minutes.
OESP FAQ
How long does the Ontario Electricity Support Program last?
OESP eligibility lasts two years for most people, then you reapply. Seniors aged 65 and over and people on a CPP disability benefit keep their eligibility for five years before reapplying.
What is the OESP phone number?
You can reach the OESP contact centre at 1-855-831-8151, toll-free within Ontario.
How do I renew my OESP credit?
Reapply through the OESP portal before your eligibility term ends, or sooner if your household size or income changes. There is no automatic renewal, so mark your renewal date.
Do seniors automatically get OESP?
No. Seniors must apply like everyone else, but once approved they get a longer five-year eligibility window instead of the standard two years.
How is the OESP credit calculated?
Your credit is set by your household size and your combined after-tax income, using the Ontario Energy Board's income grid. The amount ranges from $35 to $75 a month for standard credits, and $52 to $113 for enhanced credits.
The Bottom Line
The Ontario Electricity Support Program is a straightforward way for lower-income Ontario households to take $35 to $113 off their hydro bill every month. If your household income fits the thresholds, or you are on Ontario Works or ODSP, it is worth applying, especially since the March 2024 changes opened it up to more families. Just plan around the six-to-eight-week wait, because the credit helps your next bills, not the one due now.
For that in-between stretch, Bree gives Canadians on fixed benefits and tight paycheques an interest-free line of credit up to $750 with no credit check, rated 4.8 out of 5 by more than 8,000 reviewers on Trustpilot. It is a cleaner way to cover a bill than a payday loan charging 365% or more, and you can get up to $750 and bridge the gap between payments while your OESP application is processing.
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