Frequently Asked Questions about Rate Changes

Yes, on Jan. 1, 2026, Enbridge Gas changed the rates our customers pay.

Details for the most recent rate change include:

• An increase in the customer charge which partially covers some of the fixed costs of maintaining a safe and reliable natural gas distribution system.
• An increase in the price we expect to pay to buy natural gas supplies in the coming year.
• Changes in the price we expect to pay for transportation services from the market in the coming year.
• An increase in the delivery charge to reflect forecasted costs to deliver natural gas to customers in the coming year. This includes an increase in the facility carbon charge from 0.0123 cents/m³ to 0.0145 cents/m³ which is included in “Delivery to You” and, for an average residential customer, this increase represents about 5 cents annually.
• Changes in the transportation and gas supply charges based on changes to Enbridge Gas’ 2026 rates.
• A rate adjustment to reflect the clearance of the 2023 Deferral and Variance Account balances. This will appear as a one-time credit or charge on your January bill depending on your location.
• The expiry of a rate adjustment to reflect changes to Enbridge Gas' 2024 rates for the period of Jan. 1, 2024 to Dec. 31, 2024 that was effective for the period Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2025.
• Cost adjustments for the difference between our forecast costs and the actual costs from prior periods.

Residential customers who buy natural gas from Enbridge Gas will see an increase in their natural gas bills ranging from about $67 to $98 (5.8% to 11.3%) per year, depending on location. The overall impact of these changes will depend on how much gas you use and whether 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 residential rates section to view the rates specific to you and the area where you live.

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 which is associated with the costs to operate Enbridge Gas’ facilities to deliver natural gas to you. Storage and load balancing costs are also included in the “Delivery to You” line item 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. 

Rate Adjustment – This rate change includes a rate adjustment to reflect the clearance of the 2023 Deferral and Variance Account balances and will appear on customers' January bills. For a typical residential customer this will result in a one-time adjustment ranging from a charge of approximately $9.37 to a refund of approximately $6.23. The total impact on your bill will depend on your gas usage and location.

The costs of delivering natural gas to customers is recovered in our customer charge and delivery charges. The customer charge has increased to partially recover some of the fixed costs associated with maintaining a safe and reliable natural gas distribution system in 2026.

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. We adjust customer prices for market fluctuations every three months to reflect changes in the market price. A slightly lower North American inventory than last year paired with a forecast of colder than normal weather for the remainder of the 2025/2026 winter season has led to an increase in the price of natural gas.

Once a year, Enbridge Gas adjusts customer delivery rates to reflect the expected costs to deliver natural gas safely and reliably to Ontario homes and businesses. The OEB approved the fair and reasonable regulated distribution, transmission and storage rates that Enbridge Gas will charge customers in 2026 to recover the costs of serving our customers safely and reliably.

The federal carbon charge was removed from Enbridge Gas customer bills effective April 1, 2025. Bills will continue to show federal carbon charges (at a rate of 15.25 cents per cubic metre) incurred for any natural gas usage up to and including March 31, 2025.

Visit enbridgegas.com/federalcarbonprogram for more information.

A facility carbon charge is included in the delivery or transportation charge on the bill. This charge is associated with the costs to operate Enbridge Gas’ facilities that deliver natural gas to you. In January, there is an increase in the facility carbon charge from 0.0123 cents/m³ to 0.0145 cents/m³. For an average residential customer, this increase represents about 5 cents annually, depending on your location.

The January 2026 rate change includes an adjustment to reflect the clearance of the 2023 Deferral and Variance Account balances. Deferral and variance accounts are used to capture the differences between Enbridge Gas’ forecast amounts approved for collection through rates, and the actual revenues and costs collected or incurred. For a typical residential customer this will result in a one-time adjustment ranging from a charge of approximately $9.37 to a refund of approximately $6.23. The total impact on your bill will depend on your gas usage and location.

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.

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, subject to OEB review and approval.

Enbridge Gas sets rates based on a forecast of the costs we expect to pay for natural gas supplies and transportation and then adjusts rates for the actual costs each quarter. 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.

All rate changes are approved by the Ontario Energy Board.

EMPP spreads your forecasted yearly natural gas costs into 12 monthly payments to avoid fluctuating bills with the seasons, making it easier on your budget. We take your gas use history, expected gas rates and weather forecasts to estimate your yearly gas use. We then divide your estimated yearly gas use into 12 installment payments. Your bill every month is your installment payment as well as any “Other Enbridge Charges”, if applicable. We’ll review your plan periodically to make sure you’re on track and adjust your installment amount if needed. At the end of your plan, the EMPP balance should be nearing $0. While we do our best to ensure that your gas charges and EMPP installment match closely, any cost difference that exceeds the average monthly billing will roll over the balance due to the following year’s equal monthly payment plan.

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.

Natural gas is a highly reliable energy source and a cost-effective energy solution for heating your home.

Enbridge Gas is committed to helping homes and businesses manage their gas bills. Enbridge Gas offers a range of energy-conservation information and programs that can help you lower your natural gas use and save money. See our upgrade and rebate programs.

If you have concerns about paying your bill, support is available:

Enhanced payment plans. If more time is needed to pay a balance, you can arrange to make installment payments against a balance and avoid late payment fees and disconnection.

Low income energy assistance plan (LEAP). Low-income customers having trouble paying their bill may qualify for emergency relief through LEAP. The program provides emergency relief with financial grants of up to $650 per calendar year for eligible low-income customers. This amount is applied directly to the outstanding balance on a customer’s gas bill and will vary based on account circumstances. Customers can visit the United Way Simcoe Muskoka website for qualification information.

Equal monthly payment plan (EMPP). Many households spend the most amount of money on natural gas during the three coldest months of the year. In the summer, they spend the least. The EMPP divides your expected yearly natural gas costs into monthly payments to minimize bills that fluctuate with the seasons, making it easier on your budget.

The pressure elevation factor (PEF) is a value that helps ensure accurate billing. Natural gas expands when the atmospheric pressure is low and contracts when it's high. Atmospheric pressure changes depending on land elevation. However, meters that measure natural gas consumption don't always adjust for atmospheric pressure.

PEF is applied to the amount of gas you use to compensate for how gas reacts at different elevations to ensure you are only being charged for the gas you consume.

Your pressure elevation factor (PEF) can make your energy bill go up or down.

Here are two examples of how it works, based on average household usage. The exact amount will depend on your specific usage.

1. A household that uses 2,400 cubic metres of gas annually in Toronto has a PEF of 1.0057. This means their consumption will increase by approximately 14 cubic metres annually.
2. A household that uses 2,400 cubic metres annually in Barrie will have a PEF of 0.9904. This means their consumption will go down by approximately 23 cubic metres annually.

The pressure elevation factor (PEF) value for your account can be found on the lower right-hand corner of the first page of your gas bill or through My Account by clicking on the question mark next to the amount of gas used under the Charges for Natural Gas.