Frequently Asked Questions about Rate Changes

Yes, on April 1, 2023, Enbridge Gas changed the rates our customers pay. Details for the most recent rate change include:

Business customers who buy natural gas from Enbridge Gas will see a decrease in their natural gas bills ranging from about 15 – 16 percent per year, depending on their location. The overall impact of these changes will depend on how much gas you use and whether or not you purchase your gas from a gas marketer.

Enbridge Gas buys natural gas and gas transportation services for our customers from the market and we pass these costs to you without mark-up. Delivery and storage rates are reviewed and approved by the Ontario Energy Board, which conducts an open review process with participation from consumer groups and Ontario municipalities.

Please visit our business rates section to view the rates specific to you and your location.

Feedback from our customers shows a preference for simple, high-level communications on items such as rate changes, with the option to access more detailed information should they require it. Starting in October 2022 for our large volume customers and January 2023 for our residential and business customers, printed rate inserts will no longer be included with your bill. You will see a message on your bill every time we change our rates. Please visit our residential rates or business rates sections for the most up-to-date rate information. This approach has the added environmental benefit of reducing paper use.

Because natural gas is a commodity, the market price can fluctuate with changes in the amount of readily available supply or in the level of demand for the product. A warmer than normal winter season and healthy supply and inventory levels have contributed to this market price decrease. We adjust customer prices for market fluctuations every three months to reflect changes in the market price.

Gas costs - Gas commodity costs include information on the “Gas Supply Charge” and “Cost Adjustment” lines on your bill. The net natural gas rate reflects what we expect to pay for gas supplies and transportation services during the next year as well as any adjustments to make up the difference between our forecast cost for gas and actual costs from prior periods. Also, in the Union South rate zone (Rate M1 and M2), the cost of transportation to Ontario is included in the “Gas Supply Charge”.

Transportation costs - Transportation costs include information on the “Transportation to Enbridge” and “Cost Adjustment” lines on your bill and reflect the cost of transporting natural gas into Ontario from its North American sources.

Transportation costs vary depending on where you live due to changing fuel prices, pipeline tolls and available capacity on pipelines serving different parts of Ontario. For customers in the Union South zone (Rate M1 and M2), the transportation cost is included in the “Gas Supply Charge” line on your bill.

Delivery costs - Delivery costs include information on the “Delivery to You” line on your bill and reflect the cost of delivering natural gas to your home or business as well as an adjustment to make up the difference between our forecast and actual delivery rates from prior periods, through our safe and reliable distribution system. This charge also includes a facility carbon charge related to the federal government’s carbon pricing program and is associated with the costs to operate Enbridge Gas’ facilities to deliver natural gas to you.

Storage costs (for Union rate zone customers) - Storage costs include information on the “Delivery to You” line on your bill and reflect the cost of storing natural gas so it is available when you need it.

Customer Charge - The customer charge partially covers the cost of maintaining a safe and reliable natural gas distribution system. It includes things like meter reading, customer services and 24-hour emergency response.

Federal Carbon Charge - The federal carbon charge has increased from 9.79 to 12.39 cents per cubic meter of natural gas. This charge increases annually each April. All of the money collected for this charge goes to the government. Visit our federal carbon charge page for more information.

Charges from Other Companies - Enbridge Gas provides a billing service to other companies that offer energy-related products and services. These companies are not owned by or affiliated with Enbridge Gas. If you decide to buy a product or service from a participating company, the charges will appear on the section of your bill called Charges from Other Companies. Enbridge Gas does not recommend, endorse or guarantee the products or services offered by such companies.

Enbridge Gas will be ending this billing service. Your service provider(s) may ask you to provide payment information directly to them. Visit Charges From Other Companies (Open Bill Program) | Enbridge Gas for more information.

As part of the federal government's carbon pollution pricing program, a carbon charge applies to fossil fuels sold in Ontario, including natural gas. Effective April 1, 2023, the federal carbon charge has increased to from 9.79 to 12.39 cents per cubic meter of natural gas. This charge increases annually each April. The federal carbon charge is included on customers’ bills, with the exception of customer facilities that hold an exemption certificate issued by the federal government.

There is also a facility carbon charge included in the delivery or transportation charge on your bill. This charge is associated with the costs to operate Enbridge Gas' facilities.

For the average Ontario household, the federal carbon charge accounts for approximately $273-$297 of your annual natural gas bill.

All of the money that we collect for the federal carbon charge goes to the federal government. Learn more about the federal carbon pollution pricing program from the Government of Canada.

Enbridge Gas buys natural gas at a number of market supply hubs in Western Canada and the U.S. We pay market prices for natural gas and then pay other pipeline companies to transport the gas from supply hubs into our distribution system in Ontario. We adjust the rates we charge our customers for these items quarterly to reflect changes in market prices, which are passed through to our customers without mark-up. In addition, there are adjustments for the difference between our forecast for natural gas and natural gas transportation market prices, storage and distribution costs and the actual costs from prior periods.

Different areas of the province are served by a different mix of natural gas transportation pipelines and gas supply sources, and as such, the costs for Enbridge Gas to buy gas supplies and transportation services from the market vary by location. In addition, the costs to build and maintain a distribution pipeline system varies by the geographic location for several reasons including different soil conditions (e.g. rockier soil in the north), population density and the distance between homes/businesses and the need for and timing of infrastructure expansions and maintenance. These costs differences are reflected in the four geographically based rate zones.

You’ll see two general types of natural gas rate changes during the calendar year. The first type occurs quarterly, on the first of January, April, July and October, to reflect changes in what Enbridge Gas expects to pay for gas commodity and transportation services, as well as differences between forecast and actual costs for prior periods. This is shown as a change in the gas commodity and transportation rates on your bill and may also appear as a small change in delivery rates as Enbridge Gas also uses natural gas to power our delivery system. These changes, which are passed through to you without mark-up, help ensure that you’re billed at a rate that closely reflects the expected market price of gas.

The second type of rate change occurs annually and reflects the overall costs to run a safe and reliable natural gas distribution system. This may include a change in the delivery or storage rates, or the customer charge, depending on your location.

In addition, as part of the federal government's carbon pollution pricing program, a carbon charge applies to fossil fuels sold in Ontario, including natural gas. The federal carbon charge increases annually each April.

All rate changes are approved by the Ontario Energy Board.

If you buy natural gas and/or transportation services from an energy marketer, the price you pay for your gas supplies and/or transportation depends on the terms of the contract and is excluded from this rate change. If you have questions about their charges, please contact them directly at the number found on your bill. For other services purchased from Enbridge Gas (natural gas transportation, storage and delivery), residential customer rate changes depend on your location.

There is a rate adjustment resulting from the clearance of 2021 federal carbon deferral and variance account balances. This adjustment collects the difference between the amount customers paid and the actual costs incurred in relation to the federal carbon pricing program. This will appear as a one-time charge on customers' April bills.

The rates we charge customers for natural gas and gas transportation services are based on a forecast of the prices we expect to pay to buy these items from the market. Because the actual market costs can differ from our forecasts, adjustments are made quarterly (Jan. 1, April 1, July 1 and Oct. 1) to either refund or collect the difference so that you only pay the actual costs for these services and nothing more. These costs are passed on to customers without any mark-up.

No, the billing period doesn’t begin and end on the first and last days of each month but covers a period of approximately one month beginning and ending at approximately the same time in the month. Natural gas consumption for the period prior to a rate change is billed at the old rate and gas consumption after a rate change is billed at the new rate. The number of days at each rate depends on the monthly billing cycle of your account.

Natural gas is the best value for your energy dollar at about half the cost of oil or propane, and about 43 percent cheaper than electricity. Enbridge Gas is committed to helping homes and businesses manage their gas bills.

We understand that this is a challenging time for businesses. Enbridge Gas offers enhanced payment plans for customers who have concerns about their ability to pay their utility bill which will allow them to make smaller payments over time until the amount owing is repaid, and late fees will be waived during the repayment period. Find out more about available options for your business.

Conservation is one of the best long-term ways to reduce energy costs. We understand that to stay competitive you need to closely monitor your ongoing energy use, invest in energy efficiency, and take advantage of valuable rebates and incentives. Enbridge Gas provides a range of tools and education to give consumers and businesses the power to take control and manage their energy use.