Residents in Kingston, Ontario, will see updated electricity and natural gas rates for the summer season, effective May 1 through October 31, 2026. Utilities Kingston has confirmed that these seasonal changes include new time-of-use pricing and billing thresholds, while natural gas rates remain unchanged from the previous quarter.
For electricity customers, the summer rate schedule under the Ontario Energy Board plan is now in effect. Time-of-use prices are set at 7.6 cents per kilowatt-hour for off-peak, 12.2 cents for mid-peak, and 15.8 cents for on-peak periods. For those on tiered billing, the first 600 kilowatt-hours per month are priced at 9.3 cents, with usage above that threshold charged at 11.0 cents. To help manage costs, the Government of Ontario continues to offer the Ontario Electricity Rebate, which was increased to 23.5 percent last November to offset previous rate adjustments.
Natural gas prices for the nearly 16,000 customers served by the utility will remain stable. The commodity rate stands at 0.1929 dollars per cubic metre, and the transportation and storage rate is held at 0.0674 dollars per cubic metre. These rates will stay in place until the next quarterly review, which is set for August 1, 2026, according to the City of Kingston.
With the arrival of spring renovation and landscaping projects, the utility is also urging residents to prioritize safety when digging. It is a legal requirement to request free utility locates through Ontario One Call at least five business days before starting any excavation. Data indicates that 57 percent of homeowners skip this step, and 80 percent of residents incorrectly believe that small projects, such as planting shrubs, do not require a locate.
