Here's How Much Your Hydro-Québec Bill Could Increase This Year
Households could see their monthly bills go up.
The Hydro-Québec website. Right: the Hydro-Québec building in Montreal.
It looks like your Hydro-Québec bill will be going up again on April 1, but, thankfully, not enough to match inflation.
In 2022, the company increased electricity rates by 2.6%, and the government promised to curb rate hikes as inflation crept higher. So, on February 15 of this year, the Quebec National Assembly passed a law capping Hydro rate increases at 3%.
Hydro-Québec sent MTL Blog sister publication Narcity Québec a breakdown of what a 3% hike could mean for different housing types.
A Montrealer living in a 5½ apartment with an area of 68 square metres, for example, could pay $2.28 more per month.
Of course, the more space you have to heat, the greater the increase. A 3% rate increase would amount to about $4.27 more each month for a small, 111-square-metre home and $5.65 more for a 158-square-metre home, according to Hydro.
A Quebecer who lives in a really big house with a surface area of 207 square meters could see their monthly Hydro-Québec bill increase by $6.97.
If you are struggling with electricity costs, both Hydro-Québec and Energir have published these tips to avoid unnecessary expenses and keep your energy bill reasonable even amid freezing temps.
The cap on Hydro rate increases was part of a larger push to limit government-imposed expenses, dubbed the "Bouclier anti-inflation" (Anti-Inflation Shield). In December 2022, the CAQ also introduced a bill to institute a 3% cap on increases to eight fees, such as national park admission, driver's license renewal costs, vehicle registration and university tuition.
