Hydro One has relaunched its Winter Relief Fund to assist customers experiencing financial difficulties.
Those in need of financial assistance as well as increased payment flexibility are encouraged to contact Hydro One for support, states a media release. Since 2020, the company has helped tens of thousands of customers access approximately $11 million in financial relief from both Hydro One and government programs.
“Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen a small segment of our customers fall further and further behind,” said Spencer Gill, vice-president of customer service in the release.
“We continue to encourage customers who are experiencing financial hardship to contact our customer care team to access the relief, flexibility and choice available to them,” he added. “With this Winter Relief Fund, we are trying to reach these customers to let them know we are here to help.”
Customers can contact Hydro One at 1-888-664-9376 to learn more about the support options available to them.
“Ontario is continuing to provide immediate bill relief to electricity consumers and ensuring additional support is available to families when they need it,” said Todd Smith, Ontario’s Minister of Energy.
“I’m pleased Hydro One’s Winter Relief Fund is reducing barriers to help families access that support, while at the same time offering customized payment plans and other services to help families keep costs down,” Smith added.
In addition to financial support, Hydro One offers a range of services to help customers manage their electricity account, including:
- Choosing their own billing date and price plan (time-of-use or tiered);
- Signing up for high usage notifications to monitor electricity consumption;
- Budget billing to flatten spikes in electricity usage;
- Connecting customers with appropriate low-income programs; and
- Offering payment flexibility, such as customized payment plans.