Traders and manufacturers may find the pill that is difficult to swallow. Hydro-Québec is preparing to impose an increase in rates of 4.8 % for the year 2026, but also for 2027 and 2028, according to Radio-Canada. A larger part of the bill for major Hydro-Québec projects will be mourned by these electricity consumers in order to save residential customers, as the Legault government wants.
These tariff increases will be presented to the energy management on Thursday. The Régie then will have until March 2026 to accept or refuse them.
Hydro-Québec did not want to comment about these figures that we obtained from two well-informed sources.
The 3 % increase for residential customers is not a surprise. It is a promise made to Quebecers by Prime Minister François Legault. SMEs and industries, however Politicization of electricity rates
.
The prices for residential customers are the most income in Hydro-Québec. We must therefore seek money elsewhere to finance the Crown Corporation and its project to greatly increase electricity production within 10 years, while limiting the number of breakdowns.
Ce plan 2035
is estimated at $ 185 million.
Last year, the increase in industrial prices was 3.3 % and 3.9 % for SMEs. The economic environment had already strongly criticized the financial repercussions on shops and factories.
Electricity costs count for 60 % of the expenses of certain industries. As for businesses, the Canadian Federation of the Independent Company has already calculated the financial impact of a theoretical increase of 4.5 % to more than $ 100 million per year for the period 2026-2028.
According to a baptized principle interfinancement
businesses and industries pay more for their electricity than Hydro-Québec to serve them. For households, it’s the opposite.
Hydro-Québec’s prices are still the most competitive in North America, with the exception of those of Hydro-Manitoba. For comparison, residential and commercial customers pay twice as expensive in Toronto and four to five times more expensive in New York.
Hydro-Québec wants to build 5,000 kilometers of high voltage lines within 10 years.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Simon Lavictoire
Sacrifices to respect the limit of 3 %
To stay under the 3 % ceiling imposed by Quebec for residential prices, the Crown corporation used accounting acrobatics last year. Without that, the increase would have been 5.6 % for households.
The shortfall of the Crown Company to comply with the request for the politician was still $ 60 million, just last year.
Bill 69, adopted this spring under gag, provides for a government aid fund to maintain the bill for residences at a maximum of 3 % increase. Hydro-Québec will be offset for what it cannot impose on the residences. This could cost $ 100 to $ 300 million in 2028, according to the government.
Invoices should increase more sharply from 2028
The increase in invoices could be more salty for residential customers from 2028, when new electricity supply costs are more felt.
The former Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy Pierre Fitzgibbon anticipated an even stronger increase in increase from 2029, until 2035.
