What EPCOR Natural Gas actually does (a small franchise, the same OEB rules)
Ontario's natural gas market is dominated by Enbridge Gas, but a handful of smaller OEB-licensed franchises exist alongside it, and EPCOR Natural Gas is the largest of those after the municipals. EPCOR Natural Gas wears two hats at once: it is the distributor that owns the gas mains, service lines, regulators and meters inside the Town of Aylmer, the Township of Malahide and the Municipality of Bayham, AND it is your default System Gas supplier under OEB rules. The bill that arrives at your home covers both jobs on a single invoice.
The commodity rate EPCOR Natural Gas charges most residential customers is the OEB-approved System Gas rate, reviewed every three months under the Quarterly Rate Adjustment Mechanism (QRAM). The alternative is a Direct Purchase contract with a licensed natural gas marketer (Just Energy, Universal Energy and others), which locks the commodity portion at a fixed per-m³ rate. Either way, EPCOR Natural Gas still owns the pipes and the meter, and the delivery, transportation and storage charges on your bill never change with the marketer choice.
- Owns ~350 km of mains, services, regulators, meters
- Responds to gas leaks and CO calls 24/7
- Sends the monthly bill at the OEB's System Gas rate
- Fixed by address: you cannot choose another distributor
- Replaces the commodity portion of the bill only
- Door-to-door gas sales banned (ECPA 2010)
- Delivery, transportation and storage unchanged
- EPCOR Natural Gas still owns the pipes and the meter
EPCOR Natural Gas is the result of EPCOR Utilities Inc.'s 2019 acquisition of Natural Resource Gas Limited (NRG), the predecessor utility that entered creditor protection after years of financial strain. EPCOR brought the franchise into the multi-utility group while keeping the local Aylmer service centre and field crews. The OEB licence and franchise certificate are held by EPCOR Natural Gas Limited Partnership; the corporate parent is EPCOR Utilities Inc., owned 100 % by the City of Edmonton, Alberta.
Where EPCOR Natural Gas delivers natural gas
In plain words: if you live or run a business inside the Town of Aylmer, the Township of Malahide or the Municipality of Bayham in Elgin County (southwestern Ontario, between London and Lake Erie), EPCOR Natural Gas is your distributor. The franchise boundary follows the municipal limits, and the surrounding rural area outside those three municipalities is served by Enbridge Gas where a gas main exists, or has no natural gas service at all.
- •Town of Aylmer (the main commercial centre)
- •Township of Malahide: Springfield and surrounding rural addresses with a gas main
- •Municipality of Bayham: Port Burwell, Vienna and surrounding rural addresses
- •Residential, commercial and small-industrial addresses inside the three municipalities
- •Most of southwestern Ontario (London, St Thomas, Tillsonburg, Woodstock, Strathroy) → Enbridge Gas
- •Most other Ontario municipalities → Enbridge Gas
- •Kingston → Utilities Kingston (municipal)
- •Rural addresses with no gas main → propane, oil or electric heat (no distributor)
Not sure which gas distributor serves you? Check your most recent natural gas bill: the distributor's name and OEB licence number are printed at the top of the first page.
How EPCOR Natural Gas's charges appear on your bill
An Ontario natural gas bill is broken into a handful of line items, all of which appear on the same EPCOR Natural Gas invoice. Consumption is metered in cubic metres (m³) on the meter and converted to gigajoules (GJ) for the commodity charge (1 m³ of natural gas is roughly 0.0378 GJ at Ontario heating value). The cost of gas itself is what your supplier charges; the rest is what it costs EPCOR Natural Gas to bring it to your meter.
The per-m³ rate for the natural gas you consume. Set by the OEB at the System Gas rate, reviewed every 3 months under the Quarterly Rate Adjustment Mechanism (QRAM). Replaced by a fixed-rate marketer rate if you have a Direct Purchase contract.
EPCOR Natural Gas's charge for moving gas from the upstream city-gate through its local mains and service line to your meter. Includes a fixed monthly customer charge plus a per-m³ delivery rate set by the OEB.
Upstream pipeline cost to move the gas from the production basin (mostly Western Canada) to the EPCOR Natural Gas system. Pass-through of OEB-approved transportation contracts.
Cost of injecting gas into upstream storage in summer and withdrawing in winter so supply matches the heating-season peak. Pass-through of OEB-approved storage and balancing charges.
The federal fuel charge on natural gas was wound down by the federal government in 2024-2025. Check the most recent bill: this line may show $0 or no longer appear. The provincial output-based pricing system applies only to large emitters, not residential bills.
The 13 % federal-provincial sales tax applied to the full subtotal (commodity + delivery + transportation + storage). Appears at the bottom of the bill.
EPCOR Natural Gas's distribution rates are set by the OEB under its Incentive Rate-setting (IRM) framework, with periodic rebasing cases (most recently EB-2023-0192). Rates are filed publicly on the OEB's eFiling portal and can be examined line by line by any customer or consumer advocate.
A practical implication: if a Direct Purchase marketer offers a low fixed per-m³ commodity rate, you'll still pay the same EPCOR Natural Gas delivery, transportation, storage and HST. Switching marketers changes the commodity portion of your bill; it never changes EPCOR Natural Gas's portion.
Variable per-m³ rate set by the OEB every 3 months under QRAM. Most EPCOR Natural Gas residential customers are on this rate. Suits anyone who doesn't want to commit to a multi-year contract.
Fixed per-m³ rate locked for 1 to 5 years with a licensed marketer (Just Energy, Universal Energy and others). Hedges against winter price spikes; can be more or less expensive overall depending on the market.
Contact details: gas emergency line first
EPCOR Natural Gas uses a single phone number for both the 24/7 gas-emergency dispatch and general customer service. The emergency option routes you to a qualified gas-utility dispatcher at all times; the general-enquiry option handles billing, moves, account changes and new connections during business hours.
Smell gas? Leave first, then call from outside. Do not use light switches or any electrical device inside. For an overpowering smell or hissing, call 911 first.
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (general enquiries; the gas-emergency line operates 24/7)
39 Beech Street East
Aylmer, ON N5H 3A8
EPCOR Utilities Inc.
Edmonton, AB
epcor.com (Ontario natural gas)
For non-immediate concerns only
For non-urgent questions you can also use EPCOR Natural Gas's online channels: the safety hub and the Ontario natural gas landing page. Account, billing or new-connection questions go to the same customer-service line; commodity-specific questions go to your Direct Purchase marketer if you have signed one (their contact is on your bill).
Report a gas leak or emergency
A gas leak can ignite from a single spark. Do NOT operate any electrical switch, appliance, doorbell, garage door, vehicle ignition or mobile phone inside the building. Leave immediately, get everyone out, and only call the gas-emergency line from outside in fresh air.
If you smell the rotten-egg odorant (mercaptan) added to natural gas, hear hissing from a gas appliance or pipe, see dirt blowing for no reason near a service entry, or get a CO alarm, the fastest safe path is to evacuate first, then call 1-877-969-0999 from a safe distance. The EPCOR Natural Gas dispatcher logs the address and assigns a qualified service technician from the Aylmer field crew.
Get everyone out. Open doors and windows on the way out to ventilate. Take pets if you can do so quickly.
Do NOT flip light switches, use phones, doorbells, garage doors, vehicle ignitions or any electrical device inside.
From a safe distance (a neighbour's house or your cell from across the street), call 1-877-969-0999. Have the address ready.
For an overpowering smell, audible hissing, anyone showing CO symptoms (headache, nausea, confusion) or any doubt, dial 911 first.
Do NOT re-enter until a qualified EPCOR technician confirms it is safe. Restoration of gas service may need a separate appliance-relight visit.
EPCOR Natural Gas reports its safety and reliability performance to the OEB each year. The OEB scorecard target is to respond to at least 90 % of public gas-emergency calls within one hour; as a small franchise with a local field crew, EPCOR Natural Gas typically meets or exceeds this target. Calling Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255 at least five business days before any digging is the single biggest way to prevent gas damages on your property.
Planned service interruptions for maintenance are normally posted 48 to 72 hours in advance by mail or door-hanger to affected addresses. If you depend on gas-fired medical equipment, register with EPCOR Natural Gas's life-support program so you receive priority notification of planned interruptions.
New natural gas connection or service upgrade
For a new build, a service upgrade (adding gas to an electric home, increasing the meter size for a tankless water heater or whole-home generator), a temporary construction service or any work that requires changes to the physical service line or meter set, you deal with EPCOR Natural Gas. Start at https://www.epcor.com/products-services/products/natural-gas/ontario or call 1-877-969-0999. A licensed Ontario gas fitter (G1 or G2) must complete the in-house piping and obtain a TSSA-recognised permit before EPCOR Natural Gas can turn the meter on.
The civic address and legal description (PIN or roll number for rural sites). Confirm the property is inside the EPCOR Natural Gas franchise.
A sketch showing where you want the meter set, the desired routing of the service line, and any obstructions (decks, driveways, septic field).
The expected appliance load in BTU/hour (furnace, water heater, range, fireplace, generator), signed off by your gas fitter.
Municipal building permit, plus a certified G1/G2 gas fitter's TSSA-recognised sign-off once the in-house piping is done. EPCOR Natural Gas cannot turn the meter on until TSSA-recognised certification is filed.
Standard residential. Rural service-line builds or mains extensions can run longer and may involve a contribution-in-aid-of-construction above the OEB-approved threshold.
Fixed connection component plus a per-metre charge above the contribution threshold defined in EPCOR Natural Gas's Conditions of Service.
Once the service line and meter are installed, your account automatically opens under System Gas at the OEB-approved rate. You can sign a Direct Purchase contract with a licensed gas marketer at any time; the marketer registers the contract with EPCOR Natural Gas and the commodity rate is replaced on your next bill cycle.
Moving home, transferring or closing a gas service
In the EPCOR Natural Gas franchise the move-in / move-out conversation starts with EPCOR Natural Gas directly. Because EPCOR Natural Gas is the default System Gas supplier, it closes the old billing account, opens the new one, and records the final meter read. If you have a Direct Purchase contract you also notify the marketer separately so they can transfer or cancel their commodity supply at the new address. Most move requests need at least 1 to 2 business days of notice; 5 is safer for end-of-month moves.
Call 1-877-969-0999 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Give them the move date and the new address.
1 to 2 business days minimum; allow 5 for month-end moves. Same-day service is rare.
On the move-out date, EPCOR Natural Gas records the final m³ reading via the meter's AMR module or by an in-person field visit where AMR is not available.
EPCOR Natural Gas issues a closing bill for the period up to the move-out date. The new address bill starts under a fresh account.
Administrative transfer only. No physical work, no service interruption. Your System Gas or Direct Purchase status carries over by default; tell EPCOR Natural Gas if you want to change it at the new address.
Opening a fresh account is required at the new utility. Most likely destination is Enbridge Gas (which serves the rest of southwestern Ontario, including St Thomas, London and Tillsonburg).
Gas meters, meter reading and accuracy
EPCOR Natural Gas owns the gas meter at your property, regardless of who supplies the commodity. The meter is the boundary between EPCOR Natural Gas's responsibility (mains, service line, regulator, meter set) and your own (in-house piping and appliances). Residential gas meters in Ontario are mechanical diaphragm meters mounted outside the home, typically near the service entrance. Most are equipped with an Automated Meter Reading (AMR) module that transmits the m³ reading by short-range radio to a drive-by reader; in small franchise areas, manual reading also remains common.
Most addresses. The meter logs consumption in cubic metres; AMR transmits the reading when a meter reader drives nearby. Manual readings happen at sites where AMR cannot be acquired.
EPCOR Natural Gas pulls the meter and tests it on a calibrated bench against Measurement Canada's gas-meter tolerance.
Where AMR cannot be acquired (snow-buried meters, signal-blocked sites), EPCOR Natural Gas estimates the bill. You can submit a manual m³ reading to true it up.
If the meter reads outside Measurement Canada's tolerance, the test is free and you get a billing adjustment back to the date the fault is presumed to have started. If the meter passes, the test fee is charged to you at the OEB-approved tariff rate.
What do you need to do with EPCOR Natural Gas?
Pick an action. The tool shows the right phone, the right link, and what to expect. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Note: under AUC Rule 002, Alberta distributors are not required to pay automatic compensation for outages. Damage claims are evaluated case-by-case on negligence.
Compensation and damage claims: the honest version
Ontario has no automatic, statutory compensation scheme for customers affected by a natural gas service interruption. Unlike the UK's Ofgem Guaranteed Standards (which pay an automatic amount after defined service failures), the OEB's role is to require EPCOR Natural Gas to report its safety and reliability performance every year. Penalties for under-performance flow from the regulator to the distributor; they do not arrive in your mailbox as a credit.
If a furnace failed to re-light after a planned interruption, an appliance was damaged by an over-pressure incident, or you incurred a clear loss during a service interruption, you can file a damage claim with EPCOR Natural Gas. The claim is evaluated on negligence.
- +Equipment failure (regulator, meter set, valve)
- +Crew error during work on the network
- +Over-pressure incident damaging appliances
- +Unplanned, EPCOR-caused service interruption
- ×Severe weather (frost heave, ice damage)
- ×Third-party dig-in (excavator hits the line)
- ×Customer-side piping or appliance failure
- ×Planned interruptions notified in advance
Most Ontario home insurance policies cover appliance damage at a low excess. If your loss is meaningful, the insurance route is usually faster than a denied utility claim. Keep dated receipts and photos either way. They're the only basis on which any claim can be evaluated.
Regulator and complaint escalation
If you can't resolve something directly with EPCOR Natural Gas, there's a clear escalation ladder in Ontario. The Ontario Energy Board sits at the top as the economic regulator and the body that handles consumer complaints; the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) covers physical gas safety, including leaks, appliance installations and certification of gas fitters.
Sets the System Gas rate (QRAM), approves EPCOR Natural Gas's distribution tariff under the Incentive Rate-setting (IRM) framework, and reviews service-quality reporting (scorecards). Also runs the OEB Consumer Protection Office for individual disputes.
Administers the Technical Standards and Safety Act, 2000 and the Ontario gas-distribution code. Issues permits and certifies G1/G2 gas fitters. Investigates gas incidents (leaks, CO poisonings, appliance failures).
Most issues resolve here. Phone 1-877-969-0999 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
If the front line can't fix it, request a written decision. This creates the paper trail needed for the next step.
The OEB investigates complaints involving Ontario LDCs, gas distributors and natural gas marketers. The service is free.
Last resort. For tariff matters you can intervene as a registered intervenor in a rate proceeding. For damage claims that are denied, civil court is the final route. For safety incidents, file separately with TSSA.