Minister Smith and Oakville Hydro Launch Green Button to Help Local Energy Customers Save Money

Province gives families and businesses more control over electricity and natural gas bills

(Oakville, ON) April 20, 2023 – Energy Minister Todd Smith today joined Oakville Hydro to launch their new Green Button platform that will allow local families and businesses to track and control their energy use and save money on monthly bills.

Studies have found that access to energy data, which Green Button along with smart home devices enables, can help consumers achieve energy savings of up to 18 percent. Ontario is the first province in Canada to mandate the Green Button standard.

"Families and businesses want to be in the driver's seat when it comes to their energy bills," said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. "Green Button is part of our commitment to give consumers more choice when it comes to their energy use and will enable easy, quick and safe access to their consumption data through smartphone or computer apps so they can find customized tips to reduce energy use or switch electricity price plans to save money."

Oakville Hydro’s President and CEO, Rob Lister added, “We’re very excited to announce the launch of the Green Button in Oakville. By providing access to energy usage data in a standard and more user-friendly format, our customers will be able to choose the solution that best fits their needs to manage their electricity usage.” 

Oakville Hydro customers can access the Green Button option through the upgraded MyOakvilleHydro Account portal. 

Green Button provides families and businesses the information they need to better understand their energy use so they can make an informed decision on which price plan is right for them, helping them to lower their energy bills. This is done by authorizing the sharing of hourly electricity usage data, in a standardized digital format, directly with approved third-party Green Button applications of their choice.

The implementation of the Green Button standard is part of the Ontario government’s plan to provide consumers with more ways to keep costs down, save money and take control of their energy bills. Most families, small businesses and farms can select from three pricing options: a time-of-use (TOU) rate, a tiered billing structure, and, as of May 1st a new ultra-low overnight price, which all utilities are required to offer within the next six months.

QUICK FACTS:

• In 2015, London Hydro became the first Ontario utility to provide Green Button to their customers. Since its launch, 160,000 electricity and 106,000 water London Hydro customers have utilized Green Button.

• Most electricity customers in Ontario can choose how their electricity is billed. Eligible customers can choose between time-of-use (TOU) rates, tiered rates and ultra-low overnight (ULO) rates. For more information visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/electricity-price-plans.

• Energy customers in Ontario who are served by utilities that have fully implemented Green Button have access to a wide range of applications that are tailored to their individual needs. As more utilities in Ontario implement Green Button, new applications are expected to be developed to serve all types of customers, including residential, commercial and industrial energy users.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES:

“The Green Button program empowers Oakville families to take control of their energy consumption. This will empower Oakville consumers to make affordable, climate-friendly and sustainable decisions that would lower their energy bills.”—Stephen Crawford, MPP for Oakville

“I’m thrilled the Green Button program is coming to Oakville. This simple and innovative tool paves the way for families and businesses to take control of their energy consumption as we work towards a greener and more sustainable future, while keeping their hard-earned dollars in their pockets.” —Effie Triantafilopoulos, MPP for Oakville North-Burlington

“The launch of the Green Button will provide Oakville residents and local businesses in Oakville with opportunities to conserve energy while saving money on their monthly electricity bills. The town is on target to meet our 2030 targets to reduce our carbon emissions and reduce our energy use through energy conservation measures. The Town will continue to work with residents, businesses, Oakville Hydro and all levels of government to improve community energy efficiency in Oakville.”—Mayor Rob Burton

“The launch of the Green Button is an example of the many collaborations that are taking place across the electricity industry. We want to thank London Hydro for their support in helping us launch the MyOakvilleHydro customer portal.”—Scott Mudie, EVP, Chief Energy Transformation Officer, Oakville Hydro

About Oakville Hydro

Oakville Hydro delivers reliable and safe electricity to more than 76,000 individuals, families and businesses in the Town of Oakville. The company maintains an active commitment to conservation, safety, and is strongly invested in the social and economic well-being of the Oakville community.

For more information, please visit www.oakvillehydro.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

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Contact
Cassandra Umbriaco
Communications Specialist 
cumbriaco@oakvillehydro.com