In February of 2017 the Ontario Energy Board instituted a blanket winter disconnection ban for electricity companies. Excluded from the ban were Unit Sub-Metering companies.
On Tuesday February 5th, under pressure from a pending Global News story, the Unit Sub-Metering Council instituted its own winter disconnection ban.
Sub-metering companies provide landlords with electricity metering in multi-unit buildings. The United Way has been actively advocating for Unit Sub-Meting companies to be regulated under the Ontario Energy Board in the same manner as standard electricity distributors.
“We recently were contacted by an Owen Sound mom whose power had been turned off while she was in London staying at Ronald McDonald House” United Way executive director Francesca Dobbyn explains: “had the disconnection ban been in place this mom would have been able to fully focus on caring for her premature infant son, rather than dealing with an electricity provider.”
The United Way stepped in to pay the bill of $455.39 ($218.09 in arrears + $237.30 disconnect/reconnect fees).
Full Global News story here: https://globalnews.ca/news/4928642/ontario-hydro-companies-voluntarily-ban-winter-disconnections/
“The United Way will continue to advocate that formal regulations need to be put in place to not only ensure disconnections and associated fees are reasonable, but that electricity rate protections are also in place” Dobbyn states.
source: media release, United Way Bruce Grey
