Check your old contract for exit fees and notice rules before you change energy companies. Compare full costs for your home, then sign up and confirm the start date.
Steps to switch energy companies in Alberta
Your distributor keeps supplying power or gas while the account changes. You pay the old company until the switch date. Keep the written terms and check your right to cancel.
Checks before switching energy companies
Find your current contract’s end date, notice rules and exit fees. Compare each new plan using the same usage for your home. Include all fees.
Check whether the new plan needs a credit check, email address or automatic payments. The UCA’s switching guide explains the steps.
Keep your old contract, new terms and both companies’ contact details together. Add your home’s service address and site ID. Keep separate records if you manage more than one home.
Confirm your new energy signup
Check the account name, service address, energy rate and fees in the written terms. Ask for the start date and who sends each notice. Keep the reply with your old contract.
Competitive energy contracts have a ten-calendar-day cooling-off period. You can cancel without penalty during that time. Ask the company how to cancel if you change your mind.
How long a switch takes
The UCA gives a range of 10–90 calendar days. Ask the new company to confirm the date for your home. Your energy supply continues during the change.
Pay the old company until the switch date, then settle its final bill. Credits and payments do not move between companies.
| Step | Who handles it | Timing | What to keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check current terms | You and your current company | Before signing a new contract | Your current contract and fee details |
| Confirm signup | You and the new company | A ten-calendar-day cooling-off period applies | The new terms and start date |
| Arrange the switch | The companies change the account. Your distributor keeps supplying energy. | Ten to ninety calendar days; confirm your date | Notices and the final old bill |
| Check the new bill | You and the new company | When the first bill arrives | The bill and replies about corrections |
Changing energy companies is separate from a physical shut-off. Ask the company to explain the right steps before you request a disconnection.
Checks on your first new bill
Compare the service date, energy rate and administration fee with the terms you saved. A partial month can look different from a full month. Check billed days and usage before comparing totals.
Check that the old account is settled and any credit has been refunded. Ask for a written explanation of unclear charges. Name the bill line and dates when you ask.
Calls from your old energy company about another plan
Ask for the full price and terms in writing before you agree to anything. You can say: “Please email the plan. I am not agreeing to a new contract or transfer today.”
If a caller mentions an account or supply problem, use the company’s official contact number. Use a number you already know is theirs.
Compare the plan with the one you accepted, including fees and both fuels. Check any conditions on returning. A lower headline price alone may not lower your bill.
If you may have agreed to a contract, ask for a copy. Ask for proof of your consent and check how to cancel right away. Do not wait for a bill.
Moving house and switching energy companies
Each home needs its own service dates and account. Confirm who pays at each address and whether your plan can move. Watch for dates when you pay for both homes.
Use our Alberta utility moving checklist for setup dates and comparing plans without past bills.
If you rent, agree the last service day with your landlord. Close accounts in your name, check notice rules and give a forwarding address.
The UCA’s tenant guide explains closing an account and physical disconnection. Ask which action you need before you request a shut-off.
A bill sent to your new address may still cover your old home. Use the service address and service dates when comparing bills. Your old home’s yearly usage may differ from your new home’s needs.
Energy company choice for renters
You can often choose if you arrange and pay for your own utilities. Check what your rent includes and who controls the account.
For sub-metered electricity, the UCA says you must use the landlord’s chosen company. Confirm how your home is billed before you apply to switch.
Use our comparison checklist to check the full cost of a new plan.
We never switch your plan.
Questions people ask
How long does a switch take?
The UCA says a switch can take ten to ninety calendar days. Ask the new company for your home’s start date. Your distributor keeps supplying energy during the change.
What should I check before changing energy companies?
Find your current contract’s end date, notice rules and exit fees. Compare full plan costs using the same usage for your home. Keep both contracts so you can check your bills against the terms.
Can renters choose their energy company?
Often, yes, if you arrange and pay for your own utilities. Sub-metered electricity can require the landlord’s chosen company. Check your lease and who controls the account before you change plans.
Sources
Written by the BillRobin team. Updated .
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https://billrobin.com/ca/en/alberta/energy/switching-providers?utm_medium=share&utm_source=page
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