New Hilo service terms

On November 14, 2025, amendments will be made to the Participant’s Agreement (“Agreement”) governing the Hilo Program. Hydro-Québec would like to share these changes with you.

The main changes are summarized below.

Clause 1: Eligibility for the Hilo Program

• The term “Service” is replaced with the expression “Hilo Program”.
• The Hydro-Québec rate applicable to the Participant’s electricity contract is specified.  Before the changes, the eligible rate was Rate D (base rate) without the Winter Credit Option for residential use, whether the Participant was a tenant or owner of the Dwelling. The new eligible rates are Rate D with the Winter Credit Option and Rate Flex D, whether the Participant is a tenant or owner of the Dwelling.
• The stipulation is added that all new Participants with a Rate Flex D contract benefit from a guarantee that the cost of electricity consumption at Rate Flex D shall not exceed the cost at Rate D before applicable taxes for the first Winter Period.
• The reference to the exclusion of devices from the Service and to the messaging and data fees related to the use of the Application is removed. 
• The requirement to reside in a city where a Hilo Solution is available is removed.
• The content of the former Clause 17, which specified the requirements for the Smart Solutions for Heating, Water Heater and Electric Vehicle Charging, is now in Clause 1.
• The clarification that Hydro-Québec is not responsible for any additional requirements or restrictions that may apply when using Connected Devices purchased from a third party is added.

The former Clause 2 “Warranties and Liability” is removed.

The former Clause 3 “Mobile Application” is removed.

Clause 2: Peak Demand Events (former clause 4 “Hilo Challenges”)

• The expression “Hilo Challenge” is replaced with the expressions “Peak Demand Event” and “Hilo Setpoints” to align the terminology used with the new eligible rates.
• The option is added to deactivate the automation of the Hilo Setpoints for the Peak Demand Event prior to the day before each Peak Demand Event.
• A clarification is added that Connected Devices excluded from the Hilo Setpoints may be manually included again after the Peak Demand Event.  
• The Participant’s commitment not to exceed the maximum allowable refusals to take part in Hilo Challenges is replaced by a commitment to participate in as many Peak Demand Events as possible.
• The Participant’s commitment to make every effort to reduce electricity consumption is removed.
• The right reserved by Hydro-Québec not to solicit the Participant or to solicit only partial participation, and the right reserved by Hydro-Québec not to include Hilo Solutions or Connected Devices under the same Hilo solution, or to include only some of them during    Hilo Challenges, are removed.
• The Participant’s consent to Outage Recovery Management for applicable Hilo Solutions is removed.
• The Reward calculation terms are removed to reflect the changes to the eligible rates.
• A new clause providing a Rate D consumption cost guarantee for new Participants with a Flex D contract is added.

Clause 3: Commitments (former clause 5)

• The Participant’s obligation to notify Hilo customer services of any change that could have a significant impact on their electricity consumption is removed.
• The Participant’s obligation to keep all account information up to date is removed.
• The Participant’s obligation to pay all amounts owing to Hilo unless legal proceedings are initiated is removed.
• The Participant’s obligation not to interfere with the proper operation of the Service is removed.
• The Participant’s obligation to notify Hilo customer services upon becoming aware of any error or anomaly affecting the Connected Devices, the Hilo mobile application or the Service is removed.
• A clarification regarding the timeframe within which the Participant must ensure the Connected Devices installed by a third party are functional, properly set up and paired with the Smart Home Hub is added.

Clause 4: Use of the Hilo Program (former clause 6)

• The clarification that Hydro-Québec is not responsible for the exclusion of a Hilo Solution or Connected Device resulting from changes to the settings or installations carried out at the Participant’s request by a third party that is not authorized by Hydro-Québec or Hilo is added.
• Additional documents are listed that are binding upon the Participant by virtue of their acceptance of the Agreement, specifically the “Terms of Use Governing Digital Platforms and Confidentiality Policy” and  “Our Commitment to Your Privacy”.

Clause 5: Intellectual Property and Licence (former clause 7)

• The expression “Hilo Service” is replaced with “Hilo Program,” “Hilo mobile application” with “Hilo Application,” “Hilo site” with “Website” and “use of the Service by the Participant” with “signing up for the Hilo Program.”

Clause 6: Personal Information (former clause 8)

• It is specified that Hydro-Québec is subject to the Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information. 
• The specific commitments of Hilo and Hydro-Québec to use technologies meant to protect Connected Devices, to implement physical, electronic and procedural safeguards, as well as measures to ensure data transmission security, and to inform the Participant of any significant security breach in their account are removed. These commitments are now addressed through privacy protection practices, which are set out in the “Hilo App Privacy Policy”, “Our Commitment to Your Privacy” and the “Voice Assistants Privacy Policy and Terms of Use”.
• It is specified that the personal information collected during the term of the Hilo Program is limited to what is required under the Hydro-Québec Act. 
• The Participant’s consent for Hilo to contact them through the Service or by using their personal information is removed. This consent is now governed by the privacy practices included in the “Hilo Application Privacy Policy” and “Our Commitment to Your Privacy”.
• The provision stating that personal information obligations survive the termination of the Agreement is removed. 
• A provision that information related to the use of the Participant’s Connected Devices and voice assistants will be collected and used by Hydro-Québec is added.
• It is specified that only authorized individuals whose duties require such access will have access to the Participant’s personal information and that failure to provide such information may result in denial of participation in the Hilo Program.
• The methods by which the Participant may access or correct their personal information are specified.

Clause 7: Term and Termination (former clause 9 “Termination of the Agreement”)

• The requirement to meet eligibility conditions for the Agreement to take effect is specified.
• The manner in which the Participant may terminate the Agreement or cancel any of the Hilo Solutions is specified.
• The possibility for either party to unilaterally terminate the Agreement and the consequences thereof is modified to align with the provisions of the new eligible rates:

1. The ineligibility for Rewards during the current Winter Period and the obligation to repay the Credit balance in case of termination of the Agreement or cancellation of any Hilo Solution is removed;
2. Hydro-Québec’s right to unilaterally terminate the Agreement if the Participant repeatedly fails to sufficiently reduce their electricity consumption is removed;
3. Hydro-Québec’s right to unilaterally terminate the Agreement if the Participant fails to meet any of the eligibility conditions is added;
4. The provision that all amounts owed, including Credits related to Connected Devices, remain the property of the Participant if all amounts due have been paid is removed;
5. The survival of the Participant’s consent upon termination of the Agreement for the purpose of calculating Rewards is removed;
6. Hydro-Québec’s right to cancel unredeemed Rewards upon termination of the Agreement is removed.

• Hydro-Québec’s right to refuse re-enrollment of the Participant in the Hilo Program following unilateral termination by the Participant is specified.

Clause 8: Moving and Transfer of the Agreement (former clause 10)

• The provisions regarding the transfer of Rewards in the event of the Participant’s death are removed.

The former Clause 11 “Term and Effective Date of the Agreement” is removed.

Clause 9: Amendment of the Agreement (former clause 12)

• The exceptions to Hilo’s right to unilaterally modify the Agreement, specifically regarding provisions on service eligibility, Rewards calculation, the Initial Period, prices of Connected Devices and the Credit are removed.
• The notice period that Hydro-Québec must give the Participant before changes take effect is increased from thirty (30) days to sixty (60) days.
• The unilateral modification provisions related to any automatic renewal period of indefinite duration are removed.

The former Clause 13 “Purchase of Connected Devices from Hilo” is removed.

The former Clause 14 “Billing” is removed.

The former Clause 15 “Payment Terms and Conditions” is removed.

The former Clause 16 “Credit” is removed.

The former Clause 18 “Installation of Connected Devices purchased directly from Hilo” is removed.

Glossary

• The definitions of the terms “Connected Device”, “Hilo App”, “Hilo Setpoint”, “Credit”, “Agreement”, “Outage Recovery Management”, “Hilo”, “Installer”, “Dwelling”, “Participant”, “Smart Home Hub”, “Winter Period”, “Website”, “Smart Solution for Heating”, “Smart Solution for Water Heater”, “Smart Solution for Electric Vehicle Charging”, “Hilo Solution” and “Taxes” are corrected and clarified.
• The definitions of “Hilo Challenge” and “Reward” are removed. 
• The definition of “Peak Demand Event” is added.

You may refuse these changes and terminate your agreement by providing notice to Hydro-Québec no later than 30 days after the changes come into effect. Failure to provide notice of refusal within the specified time period constitutes your acceptance of all changes.

Consult the 2023 Participation Agreement

Consult the 2025 Participation Agreement