Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown says the Liberal plan to lower electricity bills will "burden Ontarians with $14 billion in new interest payments over 30 years."
“The Wynne Liberals came clean today and admitted their $14 billion mistake and that their policies and their policies alone are responsible for the 400% increase in hydro. Whether you pay today or pay tomorrow this Liberal plan will burden Ontario ratepayers for years to come,” said Brown in a news release.
"The Liberal plan signed on to borrow $14 billion in interest payments alone."
Brown was joined today by CARP.
The senior's advocacy group applauded the promised reduction, but say's it doesn't go far enough.
It launched a “Heat or Eat” campaign last year, calling for the government to restore sanity to electricity rates in Ontario with an immediate reduction in hydro bills in Ontario.
"Seniors in rural Ontario have been the hardest hit by the rise in hydro rates under the Liberal government and today’s announced increases to the Rural or Remote Electricity Rate Protection rebate will help offset the higher distribution costs faced by rural customers," it says in a news release.
"CARP was disappointed that the Premier did not address time of use pricing surcharges which continues to unfairly punish retirees who consume most of their electricity during the highest priced periods. CARP calls on the Premier to address this issue as these announced changes are implemented."
Meanwhile the plan drew praise from The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM).
"We would like to commend the Minister of Energy, Glenn Thibeault and the provincial government for announcing today that they will lower electricity bills by 25 percent on average this summer for all residential customers.
“We are pleased that electricity ratepayers will see the positive benefits of this announcement in the near future and for the commitment that rates will not increase beyond the rate of inflation for the next four years,” said Mayor Alan Spacek of Kapuskasing and President of FONOM. “FONOM has raised this issue repeatedly, pressing upon the government to take immediate action to provide relief to ratepayers.”
