Electricity Retailers
Electricity retailers buy electricity from power generators to sell, at a
profit, to customers at a fixed price for a set number of years.
*check the fine
print on the contract as some allow the retailer to change its price
Electricity Retailers solicit customers through advertising, mail outs, phone calls and door-to-door visits. A contract with the electricity retailer only affects the "Electricity" line of your bill. This price is determined by the electricity retailer and the price you sign for is not regulated by the Ontario Energy Board.
Thunder Bay Hydro is not associated with electricity retailers in any way. They are regulated by the Ontario Energy Board.
- Thunder Bay Hydro does not send people to your door to discuss your hydro bill.
- You do not have to show your hydro bill to anyone who asks to see it.
- You do not have to sign up with a retailer to get electricity. By default, Thunder Bay Hydro will provide you with electricity based on the price regulated by the province.
Before you begin discussions with someone about your electricity rates, ensure that you write down the Company name, Salesperson Name and ID number. Ask to see their ID badge - this is required by the Retailer Code of Conduct.
You don't have to switch to a retailer but, if you do, you will be asked to sign a contract with them. The contract will be legally binding, so be sure to read it carefully before signing or before providing your account number to a retailer. Be sure to ask questions and compare terms carefully without feeling any pressure .
Electricity retailers must be licensed by the Ontario Energy Board and they have a Code of Conduct (PDF) they are obligated to follow.
BE AWARE
Please be aware that any price per kilowatt hour quoted by an electricity retailer
pertain only to the 'Your Electricity Charges' portion of your hydro bill. It doesn't apply to any of the other
charges. This means that a retailer should not use the total on the bill to compare prices.
Also, you may have to pay outstanding charges before leaving the Regulated Price Plan, which you have been part of while buying electricity through Thunder Bay Hydro. For more information on this, click here.
To learn more about choosing and dealing with retailers, review the questions you should ask a retailer before signing. Also see the links on the right to get comparison prices for all electricity retailers.
CBC Marketplace aired a show about door to door retailers that you may wish to see. View it from their website.
This page last updated 2009-09-30.
