What Utilities Are Usually Included in Toronto Apartments?

In most Toronto rentals, heat, water, and waste collection are included — either written into the rent or bundled into a condo's fees — and the tenant pays electricity (hydro), internet, and their phone directly. The big exception is a unit with its own electricity meter and electric baseboard heat, where the winter hydro bill does the work a heating charge normally would. Toronto's electricity utility is Toronto Hydro; gas, where a renter pays it, is Enbridge Gas. This guide covers what's typically included by building type, realistic monthly costs, the sub-metering and fixed charges to watch for, and what the lease has to tell you.

What's Usually Included, by Building Type

Building type	Typically included	Tenant usually pays
Older purpose-built rental (high-rise or walk-up)	Heat, hot water, water/waste; sometimes electricity too	Hydro (if separately metered), internet
Condo unit rented from an owner	Heat, water, waste (paid through the condo's fees, absorbed into your rent)	Hydro (own meter or sub-meter), internet
New purpose-built rental	Water/waste; sometimes heat	Hydro, often gas, internet
Basement apartment or house share	Varies widely — often a flat "utilities" add-on or a share of the house bills	Whatever the lease assigns; confirm in writing

The difference between renting a condo and renting a purpose-built unit shows up in exactly this kind of detail; purpose-built rental vs condo rental in Toronto compares the two in full, and basement apartment vs condo runs the total-cost math.

The Utilities One by One

Electricity (Hydro)

Toronto Hydro is the distributor across the old City of Toronto; a renter with their own meter opens an account directly with them.
Every residential bill carries a fixed delivery charge (roughly $50 per billing period) on top of what you actually use, so even a light month isn't zero.
Ontario applies an automatic electricity rebate (in the low-20-percent range) before HST, which is already reflected in the ranges below.
Usage is priced either time-of-use (cheaper overnight and weekends) or tiered; you can choose, and time-of-use suits people who are out during the day.

Heat and Hot Water

Included in most older buildings and in condo rentals, where a central boiler serves the whole building and the cost sits in the rent or the condo fees.
In a unit with electric baseboard heat on the tenant's own meter, there is no separate "heat" bill — it lands inside the hydro bill, and a cold Toronto January can push a one-bedroom from about $60 to $150 or more.

Water and Waste

Toronto Water is billed by the City, usually to the building owner, so renters rarely see a separate water bill — it's almost always included.
A minority of newer buildings sub-meter water to the unit; check the lease.

Gas

Enbridge Gas is the provider. A renter who pays gas directly faces a fixed monthly customer charge of roughly $28 plus usage and delivery.
Gas most often covers heat, and sometimes the stove or hot water, in low-rise and some newer buildings. In a high-rise it's usually part of the building's central system, not your bill.

Internet and Phone

Almost never included. Set up your own account — Rogers and Bell are the incumbents, with resellers like TekSavvy and Beanfield (common in downtown condos) often cheaper.
Some newer buildings have a bulk internet deal baked into the rent; ask.

Tenant Insurance

Not a utility, but many Toronto leases now require it. It's modest — often $15 to $30 a month — and covers your belongings and liability, which the building's insurance does not.

Realistic Monthly Costs Where the Tenant Pays

Item	Typical monthly range	Notes
Hydro — 1-bed, no electric heat	$40–$80	Higher with A/C in summer
Hydro — 1-bed with electric baseboard heat	$60–$200	Top of range in Dec–Feb
Gas (if tenant-paid, with gas heat)	$25–$90	$28 base charge year-round; usage spikes in winter
Water/waste (rare, if sub-metered)	$20–$45	Usually included instead
Internet	$45–$100	Resellers at the low end
Tenant insurance	$15–$30	Often lease-required

For a typical downtown condo renter — heat and water included, paying hydro and internet only — budget roughly $90 to $180 a month in direct utilities. A house or basement unit with tenant-paid heat runs well above that in winter. The wider "what to budget beyond the advertised rent" picture is in Toronto rent and living costs.

Sub-Metering and Fixed Charges

Sub-metering. Many Toronto condo towers use a sub-metering company (Wyse, Provident, Carma, and others) rather than Toronto Hydro directly. You still pay for your own consumption, but the account, the rate structure, and the administration fee are set by that company — read the first bill closely.
Fixed delivery charges. Both hydro and gas bills include a set charge that applies no matter how little you use. A frequently empty apartment still generates a bill.
Account setup and last-month charges. Some providers want a deposit or a first-bill administration fee. Budget for it in your first month alongside the move itself.

What the Lease Has to Tell You

Ontario requires most residential tenancies to use the government's standard lease form. Section 4 of that form lists which services are included in the rent and which the tenant pays — heat, electricity, water, and more, each with a yes/no box. Before you sign:

Confirm every utility is marked on the standard lease, not just described verbally.
Ask whether electricity is billed by Toronto Hydro or a sub-metering company, and get the company name.
Ask the landlord or current tenant for a typical 12-month bill range for the actual unit, not the building average.
If "utilities" are a flat add-on (common in basement units), get the amount and what it covers in writing.

Related guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Are utilities included in Toronto apartment rent?

Usually heat, hot water, and water/waste are, especially in older buildings and condo rentals. Electricity (hydro) and internet are usually the tenant's to pay. It varies by building, so check Section 4 of the standard lease.

Who is the electricity provider for Toronto apartments?

Toronto Hydro distributes electricity across the old City of Toronto. Many condo towers bill through a sub-metering company instead, such as Wyse or Provident, so confirm which one applies to your unit.

How much are utilities for a one-bedroom in Toronto?

For a condo renter paying only hydro and internet, roughly $90 to $180 a month. A unit with tenant-paid electric heat can add $100 or more in winter, and a gas-heated house runs higher still.

Do renters pay for water in Toronto?

Rarely. Toronto Water bills the building owner, so water and waste are almost always included in the rent. A small number of newer buildings sub-meter water to the unit.

Is tenant insurance mandatory in Toronto?

It is not required by law, but many landlords make it a condition of the lease. It typically costs $15 to $30 a month and covers your belongings and personal liability.

Sources

Toronto Hydro — residential rates, time-of-use and tiered pricing, fixed delivery charge, 2026
Ontario Energy Board — Ontario Electricity Rebate rate; Enbridge Gas monthly customer charge, 2026
Government of Ontario — Residential Tenancies Act standard lease form, services and utilities disclosure (Section 4), 2026
City of Toronto — Toronto Water billing, 2026

Planning a Move to a New Toronto Apartment?

Sorting out utility accounts is the paperwork half of a move; the boxes are the other half. Tingsapp connects you with vetted Toronto movers and a fixed upfront price for apartments and condos across the city — get a quote and book. For the move itself, see apartment moving in Toronto for high-rise residents.