Why the Time You Do Laundry Actually Matters

If you rent a home or apartment in Ontario and pay your own electricity, the time of day you run your dishwasher, do laundry, or charge your devices has a direct impact on your monthly bill. This is not a minor detail. Depending on your household habits, shifting a few routines to off-peak hours can save a meaningful amount every month, which adds up to hundreds of dollars over a year.

At Blue Anchor Property Management, we manage long-term residential rentals across Central Ontario, covering Oshawa to Belleville, with properties as far north as Campbellford and down into Picton. Electricity costs come up constantly in conversations with both tenants and landlords. Tenants want to know how to keep bills manageable. Landlords want to attract and retain good tenants in properties that are practical and affordable to live in. Understanding Ontario's Time-of-Use electricity pricing is one of the most straightforward ways to help both groups.

This guide breaks down the current rate structures, explains the logic behind the system, and gives you specific, actionable steps to use electricity more strategically without changing your lifestyle in any meaningful way. Because the Ontario Energy Board updates rates periodically, we link directly to the OEB rather than repeating every figure here, so you always have a path to the most current numbers.

Ontario's Electricity Pricing Options

Ontario residential customers with smart meters can choose among three pricing structures: Time-of-Use (TOU), Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO), and Tiered pricing. The right choice depends on when your household naturally uses the most electricity.

Time-of-Use Pricing

Under TOU pricing, what you pay per kilowatt-hour depends on when you use it. The Ontario Energy Board divides the day into three periods: off-peak, mid-peak, and on-peak. The on-peak rate is the most expensive, and off-peak is the least. The periods shift between summer and winter to reflect when demand actually peaks across the province.

In summer (May 1 to October 31, weekdays), the most expensive on-peak window runs through the middle of the day when air conditioners are working hardest. In winter (November 1 to April 30, weekdays), on-peak shifts to the morning rush and early evening, when people are heating their homes and cooking dinner. Weekends and statutory holidays are off-peak all day under TOU, regardless of season. That means a Saturday morning load of laundry costs the same as a 2 a.m. load on a Tuesday.

For the exact current rates and hours, visit the Ontario Energy Board website, which publishes updated TOU schedules whenever changes take effect. We do not repeat the specific cent figures here because they are adjusted by the OEB from time to time and a stale number in a blog post does more harm than good.

Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO) Pricing

ULO is a newer rate structure the OEB introduced for households that can shift a significant portion of their electricity use to overnight hours. The ULO overnight window is specifically 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day (including weekends and holidays). Outside that window, ULO has two distinct daytime rates. The ULO on-peak rate (weekdays 4 p.m.–9 p.m.) is 39.1¢/kWh, which is nearly double the TOU on-peak rate of 20.3¢/kWh. However, the ULO mid-peak rate (weekdays 7 a.m.–4 p.m. and 9 p.m.–11 p.m.) is 15.7¢/kWh, which is actually lower than the TOU on-peak rate. Only the ULO on-peak period (4–9 p.m. weekdays) exceeds TOU on-peak, so ULO rewards households that genuinely commit to overnight usage and avoid that evening window rather than those who simply want a lower bill without changing habits.

ULO tends to suit households with electric vehicles that charge overnight, or people who are comfortable running their dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer after 11 p.m. If your electricity use is spread evenly across the day, standard TOU is likely the better fit. The OEB publishes the current ULO rate tiers alongside the TOU schedule, and your electricity distributor can tell you which plans your meter is eligible for.

Tiered Pricing

Under tiered pricing, you pay one rate for electricity up to a monthly threshold and a slightly higher rate for anything above that threshold. Time of day does not affect what you pay. Tiered pricing offers simplicity but removes the incentive to shift usage to cheaper hours. If you are unsure which structure applies to you, check your electricity bill or contact your local distributor.

Why Ontario Charges More at Certain Times

Ontario's electricity grid is a live system. At any given moment, the power being generated has to match the power being consumed. When demand spikes, grid operators have to bring additional, often more expensive, generating capacity online quickly. That capacity typically comes from natural gas plants, which are less efficient and more costly to run than the province's baseload sources like nuclear and hydroelectric.

In summer, the midday and early afternoon hours are when air conditioners across the province are working hardest. Office buildings, factories, and homes are all drawing power simultaneously. In winter, the morning rush and early evening are the pressure points, when people wake up, heat their homes, and return from work all at the same time.

By charging more during these windows, the OEB gives households a financial incentive to shift discretionary electricity use to times when the grid is less stressed. The overnight hours, when most people are asleep and industrial demand drops, are when Ontario often has surplus power. That is why off-peak and ULO overnight rates are so much lower. The grid genuinely wants you to use electricity at night.

This system also has environmental benefits. Reducing peak demand means less reliance on gas peaker plants, which lowers emissions. For tenants who care about their environmental footprint as well as their budget, shifting to off-peak usage is a straightforward win on both fronts.

Practical Ways to Cut Your Electricity Bill

You do not need to overhaul your life to benefit from TOU or ULO pricing. Most of the high-impact changes involve appliances that run on a schedule, which means you can set them and forget them.

Laundry and Dishwashers

These are the easiest wins. Most modern washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers have delay-start features. Set your dishwasher to run at 9 p.m. instead of right after dinner. Set your washing machine to start at 7 a.m. on a Saturday instead of 2 p.m. on a Wednesday. The appliance does the same job. The cost to run it is meaningfully lower.

To illustrate the difference: a standard electric dryer uses roughly 5 kWh per hour. The gap between on-peak and off-peak rates in Ontario means the same load of laundry can cost more than twice as much at the wrong time of day. Multiply that across a full month of household appliance use and the savings become significant. (This is an illustrative example based on typical appliance consumption; your actual savings will depend on your specific rates and usage.)

Electric Vehicle Charging

If you or a tenant has an electric vehicle, overnight charging is one of the highest-value applications of off-peak or ULO pricing. A full charge from near-empty can use a substantial amount of electricity. Doing that charge during the cheapest overnight window rather than when you arrive home in the early evening can produce noticeable monthly savings. Most EV chargers and vehicle apps allow you to schedule charging start times.

Water Heaters and Space Heaters

Electric water heaters can often be set to heat overnight and hold temperature through the day. If your unit has an electric water heater with a programmable thermostat, shifting the heating cycle to off-peak hours is a low-effort change. Portable electric space heaters, if you use them, should be avoided during on-peak hours in winter when rates are at their highest.

Habits That Cost More Than People Realize

Running the oven, using the stove, and operating multiple high-draw appliances simultaneously during on-peak hours adds up faster than most people expect. Batch cooking on weekends, when TOU rates are off-peak all day, is a practical habit that combines meal prep efficiency with electricity savings. Charging phones, laptops, and other devices overnight rather than during the day is a small but consistent saving.

TOU vs. ULO vs. Tiered: Which One Saves You More

The honest answer is that it depends on your household. Here is a simple way to think about it.

If you use most of your electricity in the evenings and on weekends and can run major appliances after 7 p.m. on weekdays, standard TOU pricing will likely save you money compared to tiered pricing. The off-peak rate is low enough that consistent evening and weekend usage keeps your average cost well below the on-peak rate.

If you can commit to running your heaviest appliances, including an EV charger, after 11 p.m., ULO may produce even greater savings. The overnight rate under ULO is lower than the TOU off-peak rate. But the ULO on-peak rate (weekdays 4 p.m.–9 p.m.) is nearly double the TOU on-peak rate, so if your habits slip and you run the dryer during that window, you pay significantly more than you would under TOU.

If your electricity use is genuinely unpredictable and you cannot shift habits reliably, tiered pricing removes the risk of accidentally using power at the most expensive time. It is a simpler structure with less upside but also less downside.

Your electricity distributor can provide a usage analysis based on your smart meter data to help you model which plan suits your actual consumption pattern. It is worth asking.

What This Means for Ontario Landlords

If you own rental properties in Central Ontario, electricity pricing affects you in a few ways depending on how your leases are structured.

Where tenants pay their own electricity directly, the landlord's exposure is limited. But tenants who struggle with high utility bills are more likely to fall behind on rent or look for housing elsewhere. Helping tenants understand TOU pricing is a low-cost way to support retention and reduce financial stress in your units. It costs you nothing to share this information, and it signals that you are a thoughtful landlord.

Where the landlord pays electricity and includes it in rent, or where utilities are shared in a multi-unit building, the landlord bears the cost of inefficient usage directly. In those situations, understanding peak hours and encouraging or scheduling appliance use accordingly can reduce operating costs. Some landlords in this position have installed programmable timers on shared laundry equipment to prevent tenants from running machines during on-peak hours without restricting access at other times.

Energy efficiency also intersects with property value and tenant attraction. Properties with efficient electric systems, good insulation, and modern appliances are easier to rent and easier to justify rent increases on within the annual guideline. The 2026 rent increase guideline set by the Ontario government is 2.1 percent. Keeping operating costs down matters when rent growth is constrained. You can read more about managing costs and compliance in our post on the hidden costs of owning rental properties.

For landlords thinking about property improvements, some electricity distributors and provincial programs offer incentives for upgrading to more efficient appliances, insulation, or heating systems. The landscape of available programs changes, so checking directly with your distributor and the Ontario government's retrofit financing resources is the most reliable approach. We have a separate post on Ontario retrofit financing options for landlords that covers this in more detail.

At Blue Anchor, we work with landlords across the Oshawa to Belleville corridor and regularly field questions about how to keep properties competitive and tenants satisfied. Practical information like electricity pricing guidance is part of how we support both sides of the rental relationship. If you are a landlord in Belleville, Trenton, Cobourg, Oshawa, or Picton and want to understand how professional management can reduce your operating headaches, our pricing page explains what we offer and what it costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do TOU rates apply on weekends and holidays?

Under standard TOU pricing, weekends and Ontario statutory holidays are entirely off-peak, all day. It does not matter what time you run the dishwasher on a Saturday morning. You pay the lowest available rate. This is one of the most underused savings opportunities for Ontario renters. Under ULO pricing, the rate structure on weekends may differ, so check the current OEB schedule for the plan you are on.

How do I know which pricing plan I am on?

Your electricity bill will show your rate structure. If you see references to on-peak, mid-peak, and off-peak, you are on TOU. If you see tier one and tier two, you are on tiered pricing. If you see an ultra-low overnight rate, you are on ULO. You can also contact your local electricity distributor, whose name and contact information appear on your bill, to confirm your current plan and ask about switching.

Can I switch between TOU, ULO, and tiered pricing?

Yes. Eligible customers with smart meters can generally switch between available rate plans. There may be a waiting period or a minimum time commitment depending on your distributor's rules. Contact your distributor to understand the process and any conditions that apply. Switching is typically straightforward and does not require any physical changes to your meter or wiring.

My landlord pays the electricity. Can I still benefit from this information?

If your landlord includes electricity in your rent, you do not pay the bill directly, so the rate structure does not affect your wallet in the short term. However, landlords who pay utilities are more sensitive to operating costs, and demonstrating that you are a considerate tenant who does not run appliances carelessly can strengthen your relationship with your landlord. It may also matter if your landlord ever considers shifting to a direct-metering arrangement in the future.

Does the time I charge my phone or laptop really matter?

Individually, small devices use very little electricity, and the cost difference between peak and off-peak for a phone charger is negligible. The meaningful savings come from high-draw appliances: electric dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, electric ovens, space heaters, and EV chargers. Focus your habit changes on those, and do not worry about when you plug in your phone.

Own a rental between Oshawa and Belleville? See the communities we serve, along with our management fees and pricing.

One Simple Next Step

The most useful thing you can do today is look at your electricity bill, confirm which pricing plan you are on, and identify the one or two appliances in your home that use the most power. Then check whether they have a delay-start feature and set them to run during off-peak hours this week. That single change, repeated consistently, produces real savings without requiring any investment or significant disruption to your routine.

If you are a landlord in Central Ontario and want support managing your properties more efficiently, Blue Anchor is happy to talk through what that looks like. Reach out through our website or explore our service areas to see whether we cover your area.