Toronto 
Ontario is extending a period of lower hydro rates as well as its emergency orders.
The orders, which were set to expire today, include the closure of non-essential businesses, the prohibition of public gatherings of more than five people, and the closure of outdoor amenities such as playgrounds.
They have now been extended for another two weeks, to May 19.
Ontario’s overall declaration of a state of emergency was extended last month to May 12.
The government also says that it will extend lower electricity rates for residential consumers, farms and small businesses to May 31.
An initial order from March for off-peak rates to be charged all day had been set to expire this week. Customers who pay time-of-use electricity rates will continue to be billed at the lowest price, known as the off-peak price, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“During this extraordinary period, many people are struggling to pay the bills as they do the right thing by staying at home, as well as our farmers and those whose businesses have closed or suffered reduced customer traffic,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Although we are making progress in our fight against this COVID-19 outbreak, we are not out of the woods yet. The extension of this electricity rate relief will leave more money in people’s pockets until businesses can start to reopen and people can get back to work.”
Time-of-use prices as of November 2019 ― Off-Peak: 10.1₵/kWh, Mid-Peak: 14.4₵/kWh, On-Peak: 20.8₵/kWh
— With Files from Canadian Press