Information about late payment and disconnection notices.
Paying your hydro bill can be challenging at times. We’re here to work with you and help you resolve any arrears. This section describes what to do if you receive a late payment or a disconnection notice.
We’re committed to supporting our customers. To discuss your bill payment options in more detail, please contact us.
Late payment notice
If your bill is overdue, we'll call you with an automated message and send you a written account overdue notice. They will state your overdue amount, payment options and our contact information. You can reach us at 416-542-8000 from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If your account continues to remain unpaid, we’ll send you a disconnection notice.
Financial assistance
Need help paying your bill?
We have programs that may help. Know that disconnecting electrical service is always the last measure.
A disconnection notice means that we may disconnect your electricity service if payment is not received within 14 days from the date on which the notice was printed. Please note:
If you’ve paid the full amount indicated on the disconnection notice, call us so we can cancel the disconnection
If you’re unable to make full payment, you may qualify for other payment options
We'll never disconnect service without hand-delivering or mailing a written disconnection notice to your service address.
Example of our disconnection notice
Front side of notice
Back side of notice
The disconnection notice informs you of the time period you have to rectify your outstanding arrears as well as the scheduled disconnection dates should your arrears remain outstanding. The notice period to rectify your arrears before a disconnection would take place is:
a minimum of 14 days from the date on which the notice was printed, or
a minimum of 60 days from the date on which the notice was printed if you’ve previously provided physician documentation confirming that disconnection poses a major health risk for one or more people living in your household
If you apply for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), Toronto Hydro will suspend disconnection for 30 days upon notification from LEAP that your application is under assessment.
If you've received a disconnection notice, you can reach us at 416-542-8000 from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Disconnection exception periods
There are no residential disconnections during extreme temperatures and certain winter months.
Extreme temperatures
If the weather is lower than -15 degrees Celsius or higher than 30 degrees Celsius, we will not disconnect your electricity service.
A timed load interrupter device may be used instead of disconnection. It allows electricity to flow to your house intermittently, based on a schedule that is pre-set by Toronto Hydro.
November 15 to April 30
Between November 15 and April 30, residential customers are not disconnected for non-payment. It's important to note that, during this period, customers are still responsible for all unpaid amounts. Please be advised that, should you continue to have an overdue account balance, your electricity service may be interrupted after April 30. Unpaid balances are subject to interest charges.
Reconnection fees do not apply between December 1 and April 30 if your service was disconnected as a result of non-payment.
Service off for more than six months
If your electricity service has been disconnected for more than six months, an inspection by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is required to make sure your electrical system is safe before power can be reconnected:
Please contact ESA at 1-877-372-7233 to arrange your inspection. For more information, please visit the ESA website.
Call us at 416-542-8000 to schedule a reconnection.
Residential customers who are unable to pay their current or past due bills may qualify to enter into an APA. To apply, call us at 416-542-8000.
An APA is an agreement that Toronto Hydro offers to residential customers who are unable to pay their current or past due bills. It allows customers to make monthly instalments toward their arrears balance. Monthly payments must include both the arrears instalment amount and the current charges on their monthly bill.
Note: In order to be entered into an APA, customers may be required to make a down payment of up to 15% of the past due amount.
The duration of an APA depends on the past due amounts and the average amount you're billed per month. For example, if you owe less than twice your average monthly bill, then your APA will last at least five months. If you owe more than twice your average monthly bill, then your APA will last at least 10 months.
At minimum, if you miss more than one payment over two months, your APA will become subject to cancellation. You’ll receive a written notice before an APA is cancelled. Cancellation of an APA will result in the full arrears balance on your account becoming immediately due, and you may be subject to disconnection. Missed APA payments will also disqualify you from entering into an additional APA for one year from the date of cancellation. To prevent an APA from being cancelled, you need to pay the entire overdue amount of the missed payment(s) by the APA cancellation date.
Yes, if you successfully paid a previous APA in full, you're eligible for another one. If you did not pay your previous APA in full, you're not eligible to enter into another agreement for one year from the date you defaulted on your APA.
Disconnection frequently asked questions
The fastest way is to pay by Visa, MasterCard or Western Union (use code "Arrears.ON"). Other payment options include:
Online, telephone or in-person banking
MoneyGram
Cheque made payable to Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited and mailed to PO Box 4490 STN A, Toronto, ON M5W 4H3
If you’d like to use any of the “other payment options,” please make your payment immediately so that we receive it before the earliest disconnection date outlined on your disconnection notice.
Note: On the day of the scheduled disconnection, we only accept payment by Visa or MasterCard. Cash will not be accepted.
To help ensure there is no delay in your reconnection, make a payment of your full arrears balance. The fastest way to pay is by Visa, MasterCard or Western Union (code “Arrears.ON”). Please call us at 416-542-8000 between Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to process your required payment and make arrangements for reconnection.
If you enter into a payment arrangement plan or don’t require reconnection for a few days, you can use one of these other payment options:
Online, telephone or in-person banking
MoneyGram
Cheque made payable to Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited and mailed to PO Box 4490 STN A, Toronto, ON M5W 4H3
If you can’t pay the full amount, please call us immediately at 416-542-8000 to discuss your payment options. You may be able to enter into a payment arrangement plan to help avoid a disconnection.
To have your service reconnected, you must contact us and:
Immediately pay the full arrears on your account; or
Enter into a satisfactory payment arrangement with Toronto Hydro
We’ll reconnect your power within two business days of payment confirmation.
For safety reasons, the account holder or authorized adult representative must be present at the service address at the time of reconnection.
If your service has been disconnected for six months or longer, you must arrange for a safety inspection from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) prior to reconnection.
If your electricity service has been disconnected for more than six months, an inspection by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is required to make sure your electrical system is safe before we can reconnect your electricity service. Please contact ESA at 1-877-372-7233 to arrange your inspection. For more information, please visit the ESA website.
Once, the ESA completes its inspection, please call us at 416-542-8000 to schedule a reconnection.
