Utilities providers
In general, utilities in Canada are not overly expensive. If you’re renting a property, the costs may be included in your monthly rent. Check before signing your lease, and ask your landlord if they know of any special deals in the area. Here’s a list of service providers for basic utilities in Canada.
Electricity
According to data from 2020, Canadians pay an average of CAD$174/month for a typical household consuming 1,000kWh. Here are the rates for a typical household, consuming 1,000 kWh per month, as of 2020.
- Alberta: $167
- British Columbia: $124
- Manitoba: $96
- New Brunswick: $127
- Newfoundland: $138
- Nova Scotia: $150
- Northwest Territories: $387
- Nunavut: $375
- Ontario: $125
- Prince Edward Island: $168
- Quebec: $73
- Saskatchewan: $182
- Yukon: $145
The differences are caused by a variety of factors, including the type of energy sources used in the area, population density, and the distance from generation source to household.
Canada’s rates are among the lowest in the world however, and household electricity is cheaper in Canada than the USA and many European countries.
- British Columbia: BC Hydro
- Ontario: several options, including Hydro One and Toronto Hydro
- Alberta: Energy Alberta
- Saskatchwean: SaskPower
- Manitoba: Manitoba Hydro
- Quebec: Hydro Quebec
- Prince Edward Island: Maritime Electric
- New Brunswick: NB Power
- Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Power
- Newfoundland: Newfoundland & Labrador Hydro
Phone
Rogers, Bell, Telus, and Shaw are among the providers of landline home phone service. Availability will depend on your location.
For prepaid and postpaid cell service, visit our cell phone plan in Canada guide for a list of options and for guidance to help you choose your plan.
Internet Service Providers
The main internet service providers in Canada offer promotions to new customers, so be sure to see what savings you can receive.
There are a number of other considerations you’ll need to keep in mind also, including what technical support is available, usage caps and download / upload speeds, and any rental costs for equipment.
Visit our Internet Service Providers in Canada guide for more detail.
Cable TV
Cable TV services are offered by Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Telus, Novus, and others. Availability depends on your location in Canada. Since 2016, service providers must offer a package that costs no more than $25 per month, not including the rental or purchase of equipment. However, if you want to watch sports and movies, then you can expect to pay close to $100 a month, or more.
Another option is to buy an aerial (or ‘antenna’), and receive free ‘over-the-air (OTA)’ channels, similar to how you receive Freeview in the UK, or Saorview in Ireland. This isn’t a commonly used option in Canada however, so you’ll likely only pick up five or six channels (or none at all, if nearby environmental factors prevent you getting a signal). These will have some of the most popular news and entertainment programs, a few live hockey games, and will usually be in HD.
Many Canadians are opting for subscription streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video rather than traditional cable options.
On the market since 2006
We know the industry inside out: the details of the Due Diligence process for each citizenship and residence permit by investment program, when an affidavit is needed and the best way to resolve our clients’ problems.
Licensed agent
We work exclusively with government-licensed citizenship and residence permit by investment programs in the European Union and the Canadian.
Schedule a meeting
Let’s discuss the details
Schedule a meeting at one of the offices or online. A lawyer will analyze the situation, calculate the cost and help you find a solution based on your goals.
- Preparation of documents
- Due Diligence
10 things you should know before going to canada Buying a car in Canada Buying your first home in Canada Canadian Citizenship Canadian Study Permit Choosing the right study program Essential packing checklist Exploring destinations Express Entry Filing taxes in Canada Finding accommodation Finding a job in Canada Finding the right school Immigrants Job interview questions Learn Earn Stay Leaving your home country Opening a student bank account Open Work Phone providers in Canada Picking a destination Plan your banking Post-Graduation Work Permits Prepaid vs. Contract Plans Preparing for arrival Ship your belongings Starting your career Student accommodation study in Canada Study Permits Study Program Super Visa The International Student Roadmap The Letter of Acceptance The Student Direct Stream (SDS) Tips for exam period Top 10 reasons to study in Canada Transfer your money cheaply Travel & health insurance Utilities providers Work in Canada Work while studying write a Canadian resume Your first week in Canada Your first week in Canada student