The Association of Major Power Consumers in Ontario is a not for profit consumer interest advocacy organization. Our mission is to promote the global competitiveness of Ontario industry through an efficient electric sector that produces competitive electric rates and provides an economic, open, reliable transmission and distribution network.

We want what all customers want: reliable supplies at affordable prices.

AMPCO was founded in the early 1960s on the Niagara Peninsula where seven companies in the chemical, pulp and paper and abrasives industries formed a coalition to deal with rapidly escalating electricity rates. They called themselves the Niagara Basic Power Users' Association.

In the early 1970s, and against a backdrop of global inflation, a recession and an energy crisis, Ontario Hydro proposed record rate increases of over 30 percent, doubling rates by the end of the decade. This drove the Niagara power users group to expand, in 1974 becoming the Association of Direct Customers of Ontario. A year later, the 30 founding companies - employing over 140,000 people at 200 locations - formed the Association of Major Power Consumers in Ontario.

Today, AMPCO represents Ontario's leaders in industrial energy management in forestry, pulp and paper, chemical, mining and minerals, steel, petroleum products, cement, automotive and manufacturing industries.

“In my experience, AMPCO has been the single most influential public interest advocacy organization, in large part because its advocacy is based on good public policy.” Senior Government Official.

AMPCO's members are 40 of the largest companies in the province, employing 50,000 people directly, consuming as much as 15% of provincial electricity output and spending more than $1 billion per year on the electricity commodity.