Privatization, bad decisions spell hydro bill hikes: NDP

Privatization, bad decisions spell hydro bill hikes: NDP

QUEEN’S PARK –On Nov. 1, Ontarians will see their hydro bills go up yet again thanks to a decade of bad political decisions and privatization of the hydro sector under the Liberal government, said NDP Energy critic Peter Tabuns.

“Since 2002, Ontarians have seen their hydro bills go up by more than 325 per cent thanks to Conservative and Liberal mismanagement of our hydro system and tomorrow it’s going up again,” said Tabuns.  “Ontarians are being saddled with outrageous hydro bills because of the Liberals $1.1 billion gas plant scandal, expensive private power deals, and subsidizing cheap power to the US.”

PETER TABUNS

Tabuns said that hydro privatization has driven up bills and it will only going to go up faster once the Liberals put public hydro utilities in the hands of private companies.  Tabuns referred to Wynne’s privatization czar Ed Clark who recommended that Hydro One’s local distribution arm be sold and the other local hydro utilities open up to private capital. Privatized hydro utilities will mean that ratepayers will be responsible for paying for the profit margins of private energy companies in addition to the rising costs of power.

New Democrats have proposed a series of measures which could get hydro bills under control such as capping the salaries of CEOs in the energy sector, ending the practice of subsidizing exported power, stopping any further privatization in the system, and merging Ontario’s four hydro agencies into a single company.

(PRESS RELEASE)