The energy market in Ontario has been open since 2002. This means that as a consumer, you have the choice to buy your electricity from North Bay Hydro or one of many energy retailers operating in the area.
If you are inside the North Bay Hydro service area and choose to buy your electricity from a retailer, all of the services around supply and maintenance of the hydro infrastructure is still provided by North Bay Hydro; you are simply signing a longer term contract for the actual power you consume.
If you do not sign with an energy retailer and continue to purchase electricity from North Bay Hydro, you are not under any contract. You will pay the government regulated price for electricity which is posted under 'Billing'.
Do not show or give away your hydro bill to a marketer unless you are prepared to sign a contract with that person.
Don't sign anything until you have read the fine print and fully understand what you are signing. When you sign an agreement with a marketer you are entering into a legal agreement that is separate from North Bay Hydro. An agreement can be binding for up to five years and may restrict your options.
Ask the marketer how their savings are calculated and shared; what their transmission and administration costs are; and details about the duration of the agreement and terms of renewal.
Do not give anyone a deposit... it could be money out the window.
Consumers who sign a contract have 10 business days to change their minds and inform the company by fax, registered mail or personal delivery they are no longer interested in doing business with them.
This information is provided as a public service. Although we endeavor to ensure that the information is as current and accurate
as possible, errors do occasionally occur. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information.
Readers should where possible verify the information before acting on it. External Links Disclaimer
