FAQs

The EVC rate is an electricity transmission rate (included in the delivery charge) designed specifically for eligible electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Ontario to better align the transmission costs of serving EV chargers with low load factors. It reduces the Retail Transmission Service Rates paid by participating EV charging station owners or operators.

The EVC rate reduces the Retail Transmission Service Rates that participating EV charging stations would otherwise pay. Retail Transmission Services Rates are part of the delivery line on your electricity bill.

Participating customers will pay 17 per cent of the Retail Transmission Service Rate that other customers in a distributor’s General Service 50 kW to 4,999 kW class will pay. In other words, if a customer’s base Retail Transmission Service Rate is $1.00/kW, it would instead pay $0.17/kW under the EVC rate.

Hydro Ottawa will make the EVC rate available to eligible customers who have completed the opt-in form in early 2026. The implementation date of the EVC rate is dependent on the conclusion of Hydro Ottawa’s current rate application proceeding before the Ontario Energy Board. The EVC rate will be implemented, on a go-forward basis, once Hydro Ottawa receives the OEB’s approval and an effective date for its 2026 distribution rates.

A "customer" refers to the owner or operator of an EV charging station whose facilities are connected to or are intended to be connected to an electricity distributor’s distribution system. A customer is not the end-user of the EV charging service, such as the driver of a vehicle that uses the EV charging station.

EV charging stations must meet all the following criteria to participate in the EVC rate:

• Have at least one Direct Current Fast Charger, also referred to as a Level 3 charger.
• Ensure that at least 90 per cent of total monthly peak demand is attributable to EV charging. Auxiliary loads must not exceed the remaining 10 per cent (i.e., vending machines, tire inflation, lighting).
• Have a monthly peak demand between 50 kW and 4,999 kW.
• Have a 12-month average load factor of 20 per cent or less.
• Must not primarily serve commercial/public sector EV fleets, and;
• Any distributed energy resource behind the account’s meter must not exceed the account’s annual peak demand.

No. Charging stations that may participate in the EVC rate include those that are located:

• On or near highways
• On the site of a retail establishment, plaza, shopping centre
• On the site of a municipal, university, school or hospital building
• On a site associated with a multi-unit residential building, such as a condominium
• On employee parking lots.

The EVC rate aims to fill gaps in public charging infrastructure in underserved areas. The rate was designed to reduce the cost of electricity for public EV chargers in areas where demand for the service is only beginning to emerge, making it more economical to build charging infrastructure in more communities.

Customers are encouraged to apply their best judgment to measure or estimate the peak demands associated with their auxiliary loads compared to the peak demands of their EV chargers. Where a comparison of peak demands is not possible, customers may compare the overall capacity ratings of their auxiliary equipment with the peak demands of their EV chargers.

You should rely on your available historical data and forecasts to calculate a reasonable forward-looking 12-month average load factor. If no historical data is available, you should base your eligibility attestation on a reasonable load factor forecast.

To apply for the EVC rate, you must complete and submit an opt-in form to Hydro Ottawa.

Please have your electricity bill on hand to complete the form. You must enter the required information (i.e. name on the account, your 20-digit account number) exactly as it appears on your electricity bill. If your information is not entered as it appears on your bill, Hydro Ottawa may not be able to process your opt-in form.

EVC rate opt-in form

Here’s the two-step process to send us your form:

Step 1: Complete and save your form

• Click this EVC rate opt-in form link to open the fillable PDF.
• Complete all the required fields.
• Save the completed form to your computer (e.g., to your desktop).

Step 2: Upload and submit your form

• Go to our Contact Us page: hydroottawa.com/contactus
• Under the Subject drop-down menu, select EVC Rate.
• Fill in your information on the page.
• Click the Choose File button to attach your form.
• Click Submit to send it to us.

You can also send us your completed form by mail:

Hydro Ottawa
PO Box 8700
Ottawa, ON K1G 3S4
Attn: Billing – EVC Rate Form

More information about the EVC rate can be found in the OEB’s EVC Rate Overview Final Report.