Ontario's energy minister has sent letters to all electricity distribution companies in the province asking them to voluntarily stop winter disconnections.
Glenn Thibeault writes that a customer should not, under any circumstances, be put at risk over their electricity bill.
The letters sent yesterday follow a call by the Progressive Conservatives for Thibeault to issue a directive to the Ontario Energy Board to immediately halt winter disconnections, but Thibeault says he doesn't have the power to do that.
Hydro One has stopped the practice and has said it would re-connect 1400 customers whose electricity was cut off for not paying their bills.