Hydro One Remotes E-Bulletin
Welcome to Hydro One Remotes
In photo left to right: Charles Benson (North Caribou Lake First Nation). Joyce Angees (Wunnumin Lake First Nation), Micah Winter (Kingfisher Lake First Nation), Stephen Chapman (Sachigo Lake First Nation), Stacey Barry (Gull Bay First Nation), Raymond Hatfield (Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation and community of Biscotasing).
Purpose of the Customer Advisory Board (CAB)
It is important for Remotes to understand our customers’ perspective about our business to help inform our communications, programs and services as we continually strive to make our business better.
To help achieve this, for many years Hydro One Remotes has a Customer Advisory Board of 6-8 regular customers in a non-elected role in their community (not Chief or Council). Board positions rotate, each a 2-3 year term with overall group membership varied by gender, age, road access or fly-in community and language so as to be as representative as possible of the 24 communities we serve. CAB members are paid an honorarium for their time.
The CAB has been instrumental in providing key feedback to Remotes, informing our direction on communications, contests, education, programs and services over the years. Last week, we had our annual all-day meeting in Thunder Bay, which included a tour of the Hydro One Remotes office.
One of the recommendations that came out of this year’s meeting was to post the Collections Trip schedule on the Hydro One Remotes website, as well as including it in our E-bulletin – so here it is! Article below, and more information online here: Hydro One Remote Communities Inc. – Collections (hydrooneremotes.ca).
Thank you, 2024 CAB members!
What is the Ontario Energy Board?
The Ontario Energy Board (OEB.ca) is Ontario’s independent energy regulator, which means it makes decisions and rules for how energy companies like Hydro One Remotes operate. They set the prices (rates) for electricity, and make sure that customers are treated fairly, and that the energy sector is reliable and sustainable.
The OEB also provides customer service standards that utilities must follow including rules on payment options, collections, and disconnections. They also have 2 bill assistance programs for Customers – the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) and the Low-income Energy Support Program (LEAP) – both of which are administered for our customers by the Ontario Native Welfare Administrators Association (ONWAA).
Collections Trips
Two times a year, in the spring and in the fall, Remotes schedules a Collections Trip to each community we serve.
If you are behind on your bill payments, you will receive a letter from us, and if you are in a First Nation Community, your name will also be included on a list of unpaid accounts to Chief and Council.
During a Collections Trip, customers that have not made arrangements to pay their bill are disconnected by our technical staff. Note: we will never disconnect a customer in the wintertime. Our Collections efforts are a last resort and to ensure undisrupted electrical service, bills should be paid on time.
If you have received a reminder letter or disconnection notice, please do not wait and immediately reach out to our Billing Department at ph. 1-800-465-5085 or email RemotesBilling@HydroOne.com. We are here to help and will work with you to find a solution.
To learn more about Collections visit Hydro One Remote Communities Inc. – Collections (hydrooneremotes.ca).
Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
Have you fallen behind and are at risk of disconnection? You may be eligible for a grant of up to $780 each year to help avoid service disconnection. To apply for this program, contact the Ontario Native Welfare Administrators Association (ONWAA) at ph. 1-844-885-3157, talk to your Ontario Works Administrator, or email oesp@onwaa.ca.
Also ask ONWAA about the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) – if you are eligible, you receive a monthly credit on your bill anywhere from $35 up to $113! Call or visit OntarioElectricitySupport.ca
Mail Slow?
Call our Billing Department at 1.800.465.5085 to sign up for E-Billing and have your electrical bills emailed to you instead!
For more information on our programs and services please visit: HydroOneRemotes.ca
BILLING:
ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑫᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᑫᐧᑌᐧᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐅᒪ ᐃᔑᑭᑐᐣ
1.800.465.5085
ᒪᔥᑲᐎᓯᐎᓐ ᐯᔑᒃ ᑭᐌᑎᓄᒃ ᒪᓯᓀᐦᐃᑫᐎᓐ
SERVICE, including new connections:
ᐃᐡᑯᑌᐃᐧ ᐊᓄᑭᐃᐧᐣ ᑲᑫᐧᑌᐃᐧᓇᐣ ᐅᒪ ᐃᔑᑭᑐᐣ
1.888.825.8707
ᑫᒪ ᐎᒋᐦᐃᐌᐎᓐ ᓇᑕᐌᑕᒪᓐ
RemotesCustomerService@HydroOne.com
IF POWER OUTAGE OR EMERGENCY CALL:
ᐊᑕᐁᐧᓭᐠ ᐃᐡᑯᑌ ᒥᓇ ᐸᐸᓯᓭᐠ ᑫᑯᐣ ᐅᒪ ᐃᔑᑭᑐᐣ
1.888.825.8707
ᐊᑕᐌᓯᒃ ᐁᑯ ᓇᓂᓴᓂᓭᒃ ᑫᑯᓇᓐ