The Short Version
- Alberta: the default electricity price, the Rate of Last Resort, is about 12¢ per kWh and is fixed only through December 31, 2026. You can leave it anytime without penalty.
- Alberta natural gas: the default rate can change every month.
- Ontario: homes and small businesses on the Regulated Price Plan pay prices set by the Ontario Energy Board. A retailer contract replaces that price with the contract price.
- In Ontario, you get a 10-day cooling-off period and can cancel up to 30 days after your second bill without a fee.
- The easiest way to get it right: let us compare offers for you. It's free.
Alberta Electricity: the Rate of Last Resort
On January 1, 2025, the Rate of Last Resort (RoLR) replaced Alberta's old Regulated Rate Option. It applies to residential, small business, and farm customers who haven't signed with a retailer. It's approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission and stays in place for two years at a time.
| Default retailer | Distributor area | RoLR (per kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| EPCOR | EPCOR Distribution | 12.01¢ |
| EPCOR | FortisAlberta | 12.01¢ |
| ENMAX | ENMAX Power | 12.06¢ |
| Direct Energy Regulated Services | ATCO Electric | 12.02¢ |
Source: Alberta Utilities Consumer Advocate, default rates, January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026, checked September 28, 2026. These rates don't include billing and delivery costs.
- The price is only locked through 2026. The rate is re-evaluated every two years, and proposed adjustments can't normally exceed 10% of the existing rate.
- Plenty of businesses are still on it. About 29% of commercial consumers and 40% of farm consumers buy their electricity through the RoLR.
- Leaving is free. You can switch from the RoLR to a retailer's plan at any time without penalty.
Alberta Natural Gas: the Default Rate Tariff
Natural gas has its own default, the Default Rate Tariff, and it can change monthly. At Direct Energy Regulated Services in the ATCO Gas area, it ranged from $0.936 per GJ in May 2026 to $3.331 per GJ in January 2026, and it was $1.124 per GJ in September 2026. That swing is the reason many businesses choose a fixed gas price, especially heading into winter.
Source: Alberta Utilities Consumer Advocate, 2026 natural gas regulated rates, checked September 28, 2026. Rates don't include billing and delivery costs.
Ontario Electricity: the Regulated Price Plan
Most Ontario homes and small businesses pay Regulated Price Plan prices set by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB). These prices took effect November 1, 2025:
| Price plan | Period | Price (per kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Time-of-Use | Off-peak / mid-peak / on-peak | 9.8¢ / 15.7¢ / 20.3¢ |
| Ultra-Low Overnight | Overnight / weekend off-peak / mid-peak / on-peak | 3.9¢ / 9.8¢ / 15.7¢ / 39.1¢ |
| Tiered, small business | First 750 kWh a month / above | 12.0¢ / 14.2¢ |
Source: Ontario Energy Board, electricity rates effective November 1, 2025, checked September 28, 2026. Residential tiered thresholds are 1,000 kWh a month in winter and 600 kWh in summer.
If you sign with an energy retailer, you pay the price in your contract instead, and the OEB doesn't regulate that price. Compare any offer carefully against what you'd pay on the Regulated Price Plan.
Your Rights with an Ontario Energy Contract
These OEB protections apply to residential and small business consumers, for electricity, natural gas, or both:
- A 10-day cooling-off period. After you acknowledge receiving the contract, you have 10 days to cancel it.
- A second look after your bills arrive. You can cancel up to 30 days after you receive your second bill under the contract, with no cancellation fee (you still pay those bills).
- A cap on cancellation fees. For most residential consumers, the maximum is $50. For small businesses and higher-use homes (more than 15,000 kWh or 3,500 cubic metres of gas in the past year), fees are calculated differently.
- Notice before renewal. Your retailer has to send a renewal package, with price comparisons, 60 to 120 days before your contract ends.
- A window after renewing. If you renew or extend a contract, you can cancel with no penalty within 14 days after renewing, or within 30 days after your second bill under the renewed contract.
British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Saskatchewan
We also shop natural gas supply for businesses in British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. Programs and rules differ by province, so send us a recent bill and we'll tell you what's available where you are.
Watch out for "your utility sent me." Door-to-door and phone sellers sometimes imply they're from your utility or a government program. Don't share your account number with anyone who knocks or calls uninvited, and never sign on the spot.
Why Let Us Shop for You
You can compare retailer offers on your own. Most people don't have time to read every contract, and the fine print is where the costly surprises hide. Here's what you get when we do it for you:
- Offers side by side for electricity and natural gas, compared against your default rate.
- The fine print, read for you. We flag cancellation fees, renewal terms, and variable pricing.
- Someone watching your end date. We reach out before your contract ends, and before Alberta's Rate of Last Resort resets.
- Free to you. The retailer you choose pays us. If nothing beats what you pay now, we'll tell you.
Or skip the form: send us a photo of your bill.
Free 10-minute checklist When does your energy contract end, and what will you pay the day after? Get the Energy Contract Checkup →FAQ
Can I leave Alberta's Rate of Last Resort?
Yes. You can leave the Rate of Last Resort at any time without penalty. There's also no requirement to leave it.
What happens to Alberta's Rate of Last Resort after 2026?
The current rate runs January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026. It's re-evaluated every two years, and proposed adjustments can't normally exceed 10% of the existing rate.
Does Alberta's Rate of Last Resort cover natural gas?
No. It only applies to electricity. Natural gas has its own default, the Default Rate Tariff, which can change every month.
How long do I have to cancel an energy contract in Ontario?
You have 10 days after you acknowledge receiving the contract, and you can also cancel up to 30 days after your second bill under the contract without a cancellation fee.
What's the most an Ontario retailer can charge me to cancel?
For most residential consumers, the maximum cancellation fee is $50, whether the contract is for gas, electricity, or both. Small businesses and high-use homes have fees calculated differently.