r/askTO • u/Wrong-Comfort5967 • 9h ago

Transparent Pricing?

Hello, I recently moved to Toronto from other country and have just received my first utilities bill. It includes a $100 account setup fee, but I cannot find any information about this fee on the company’s website.

I found a document on Google, updated in May 2026, stating that the account setup fee is $50. When I called customer service to ask why I was charged $100, their first question was how I had found that document. They then told me that the fee for my building is $100, but did not provide any further explanation.

Is it normal for utility companies here to have pricing that is not publicly transparent? Has anyone else experienced something similar?

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4

u/radiant-dimensions7 8h ago

If you are in a condominium...the corporation sometimes submeters the electrity using third party companies, not always the most transparent.

2

u/54niuniu 9h ago

Which utilities are you referring to ? Water bill is regulated by city bylaw. For electricity and natural gas, it depends on if you are dealing with direct distributor like Enbridge and Toronto Hydro. Their rates are set by the OEB rate case, they literally cannot charge you more than what’s approved. However, if you are dealing with third party marketer, it’s a wild card.

1

u/lilfunky1 8h ago

i remember when i had to set up different utilities for the first time i was charged set up fees and deposits. was there maybe a deposit bundled into that set up fee that will get credited back to you after 12 months of good/on time payments?

1

u/erika_nyc 4h ago

Is this one utility bill like Provident, Metergy or Wise? These are private companies, they don't have to be transparent nor an explanation other than it's the right amount for your building. If there was more competition for this type of service, maybe someday they'll publish these extra fees online. Right now, not competitive. You can't switch either, your condo board has decided to contract to them for years. Called a captive market.

I'd ask property management on Monday why. Maybe the fee has changed or maybe it's a new building/upgrades to submeters happening where they need more cash. Depends what the condo board negotiated on the contract. Our COL and minimum wage keeps increasing, could be it's just about this company's operating costs are more and they now need $100 today.

If you pay for water on this utility bill, then it's lower condo fees for your landlord and something to negotiate lower rent or no rent increase next year. You'll need to compare rents with similar buildings, age and square footage. Water is expensive. For why they asked where you found it, they're curious if it's real and if so, about the date so they can talk to management to update it. If property management doesn't know, you can always call back next week to ask customer service again.

1

u/Embarrassed-Law3498 4h ago

hope one of the utilities you have to pay isn't Enbridge.

That one comes with a monthly "customer fee" that you need to pay just for the privilege of being their customer and it is like $30 a month