Ottawa Utility Costs: What Hydro Ottawa, Enbridge and City Water Really Add Up To
Quick answer
In an Ottawa condo or apartment where heat and water come with the unit, expect about $170–$220 a month for hydro and internet. Renting a whole house where you pay everything runs $385–$505 in a typical month and $465–$575 in January.
| Utility | Condo / apartment | House |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro (Hydro Ottawa) | $78–$97 | $129–$168 |
| Heat (Enbridge gas) | Usually in rent or fees | $44 summer, ~$170 January |
| Water + sewer (City) | Usually in rent or fees | $75–$112 |
| Internet | $90–$125 | $90–$125 |
| Total per month | $170–$220 | $385–$505 ($465–$575 Jan) |
Ottawa is one of the coldest capitals in the world, and you see it on the gas bill. The same detached house in Barrhaven or Orléans can cost under $50 to heat in July and close to $170 in January. Hydro is steadier, but Hydro Ottawa's fixed delivery charge went up in 2026, so even a small apartment starts each month around $40 before the lights go on.
The numbers below are built from 2026 rates published by the Ontario Energy Board, Enbridge and the City of Ottawa. Where we had to assume usage, we say how much. The sources are at the end of the post.
Why the January bill is a different animal
Most Ottawa houses heat with natural gas from Enbridge. Ottawa sits in Enbridge's old "EGD" rate zone, and the OEB's April 2026 rate update put a typical customer there (2,400 m³ a year) at about $987 a year. July's update added roughly $32, which works out to about $96 a month on average once HST is in.
An average is not what lands in your inbox, though. Most of a year's gas goes through the furnace between November and March. On 2026 rates (a $27.69 monthly customer charge plus about 28.6¢ per m³ all-in), here's how it plays out for a typical detached house:
- July (about 40 m³, hot water only): around $44 with HST.
- October or April (about 250 m³): around $112.
- January (about 430 m³): around $170.
Enbridge's equal billing plan spreads that over 12 months. If you're moving in during the fall, it's worth setting up on day one, before the first cold-snap bill.
Hydro Ottawa: the fixed charge does a lot of the work
Ontario electricity bills have two halves. The electricity itself is priced by the Ontario Energy Board and is the same across the province. Delivery is set utility by utility. For residential customers, Hydro Ottawa's delivery is mostly a fixed charge, billed by the day since June 2026.
In 2026 that fixed charge comes to about $40 a month. The OEB approved an average increase of $5.87 a month for a typical home and backdated it to January 1. On top of that, an extra $1.80 a month runs until May 2027 to recover the months that were billed at the old rate.
For the electricity itself, you pick one of three OEB price plans. These are the prices from November 1, 2026:
- Time-of-use: 9.1¢ off-peak (evenings, nights, weekends), 14.6¢ mid-peak, 18.9¢ on-peak.
- Tiered: 11.2¢ per kWh for the first 1,000 kWh a month in winter (600 in summer), then 13.2¢.
- Ultra-low overnight: 3.7¢ from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., but 37.7¢ in the weekday on-peak window.
The Ontario Electricity Rebate then takes 15.7% off the pre-tax total, down from 23.5% before November 1, 2026. You don't apply for it; it shows up as a credit on the bill. Prices per kWh fell, but the smaller rebate more than cancels that out, so most Ottawa hydro bills go up a few dollars this winter. Run through those numbers, a one-bedroom using 300 to 450 kWh lands at about $78–$97. A house with gas heat and central air using 700 to 1,000 kWh comes to $129–$168.
Watch for electric baseboard heat. Many older low-rises in Centretown, Sandy Hill and Vanier heat with baseboards on the tenant's hydro meter. At 1,200 to 1,400 kWh in January, a one-bedroom like that pays roughly $195–$225 for hydro alone. Ask which kind of heat the unit has before you compare rents.
City water: three charges, billed to the owner
Ottawa raised water, wastewater and stormwater rates 4.5% on April 1, 2026. A house pays three separate things:
- Fixed charges: $140.45 water, $129.21 wastewater and $55.67 fire supply a year for a standard 15 mm meter, which comes to about $27 a month.
- Stormwater: $252.97 a year for a connected single or semi-detached house ($126.49 for townhomes and apartments).
- Usage: $1.88 per m³ (water plus wastewater) for the first 6 m³, then $3.76 per m³ from 7 to 25 m³.
That second tier is what makes larger households pay noticeably more. A house using 10 m³ a month pays about $75 all in; at 20 m³ it's about $112. Water bills go to the property owner by default, but the City will bill the tenant directly if the owner sets it up. Some landlords do that for whole-house rentals.
Internet in Ottawa
Bell and Rogers are the two big wired providers. In fall 2026 both advertised a 500 Mbps plan at about $90 a month on a two-year promotion. Rogers' regular price for that tier is listed at $125, and Bell's sits around $100–$120 depending on the source. Budget the regular price, not the promo, if you plan to stay past year two.
Putting it together
| Scenario | Typical month | January |
|---|---|---|
| Condo, heat and water in fees | $170–$220 | $170–$220 |
| Older apartment, baseboard heat on your meter | $170–$220 | $285–$350 |
| Detached house, gas heat, you pay everything | $385–$505 | $465–$575 |
For context, a Toronto condo renter pays a similar amount for hydro plus internet (see our Toronto utilities breakdown). The difference shows up in houses: Ottawa winters run longer and colder, so the gas line climbs higher.
Before you sign: what to ask an Ottawa landlord
- Heat source: Is it a gas furnace, a boiler for the whole building, or baseboards on my hydro meter?
- Whose name: Which accounts (Hydro Ottawa, Enbridge, City water) will be in my name from move-in day?
- Real bills: Can I see last January's hydro and gas bills for this unit?
- Shared meters: If it's a house split into units, how are gas and water divided, and is that written into the lease?
- Water heater: Is the water heater a rental from Enbridge or another company? Those rental fees appear on the gas bill.
- Air conditioning: Central air or window units? Summer hydro in a house with central air can match a winter month.
Ontario rules for renters: Landlords must use the Ontario standard lease for most residential tenancies, and its Services and Utilities section must spell out who pays for electricity, heat and water. The only deposit a landlord can take is a rent deposit of no more than one month's rent (usually applied to your last month), plus a refundable key deposit. A "damage deposit" isn't allowed in Ontario.
Ottawa utility questions we get asked
Is heat usually included in Ottawa rent?
In many purpose-built apartment buildings and in most condos, yes: gas heat and water are covered by the building and you only pay Hydro Ottawa and internet. In houses, townhouses and many basement units you pay Enbridge yourself. Check the Services and Utilities section of the Ontario standard lease before you sign.
How much is Hydro Ottawa for a one-bedroom?
A one-bedroom using 300 to 450 kWh a month comes to roughly $78 to $97 after the Ontario Electricity Rebate and HST. Most of the gap between a small and a large bill is the fixed delivery charge, about $40 a month, which you pay no matter how little you use.
Why is my January Enbridge bill so much higher than July?
Gas heat is almost all of it. A detached house that uses about 40 cubic metres in July can use 400+ in January. On Enbridge's 2026 rates that is the difference between a bill of about $45 and one of about $170 including HST.
Can my landlord put the water bill in my name?
In Ottawa, yes. The City lets owners have water bills sent directly to tenants. If the lease says you pay water, ask whether the account will be in your name or whether the landlord will re-bill you, and get the last few bills to see the real cost.
Related reading
If you're still deciding where to live, our guide to renting in Ottawa covers neighbourhoods. How much income you need to rent in Ottawa shows how utilities fit next to rent. For the bigger picture, see average utility bills across Canada and who pays which utilities.
Sources and how we estimated
- Electricity prices and the 15.7% rebate: Ontario Energy Board announcement, October 16, 2026, prices in effect from Nov 1, 2026.
- Hydro Ottawa 2026 increase: OEB decision EB-2024-0115 and CBC Ottawa coverage.
- Gas: OEB Enbridge rate notices for April and July 2026.
- Water: City of Ottawa 2026 water rate insert.
- Internet: advertised Bell and Rogers Ontario prices compiled by Topicks and PlanGenius, 2026.
- Our estimates assume about 2.2¢/kWh in transmission and regulatory charges, a tiered price plan, 13% HST, and the usage levels stated in each section. Your bill will differ with unit size, insulation and habits.
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