A freedom of information request showing how much more Ontario's hospitals are paying for electricity highlights how the Liberal's bungling of the power system is hurting Ontario, says NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.
"We already know hydro prices is hurting business, small business, mining, industry,” Horwath said, explaining why the party filed the FOIs. “So we were pretty certain the hydro debacle the Liberals have gotten us into is impacting hospitals."
In Sudbury, she said costs have risen $1 million over the last five years, at a time when hospitals are struggling with their budgets.
"Every extra dollar that's being diverted to pay hydro bills is a dollar not being invested in patient care," Horwath said. "And it's not just in Sudbury. Hospitals across the province are in the same situation."
HSN's recent move to lay off laundry staff to save $500,000 a year highlights the awful decisions she says hospitals are being forced to make.
"Workers are being affected across the hospital system,”she said. "All because of budgetary restraints. And these constraints exist because we have a government that's been pulling back on hospital budgets. On top of all that, we see electricity bills causing even more problems for hospitals."
But Sudbury MPP and Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault said while $1 million is a lot of money, it's only one per cent of the hospital's budget. When the NDP came out with the FOIs this week, he said the Sault Ste. Marie hospital came out and said hydro increases have had no effect on patient care or led to any layoffs.
"I know HSN did the same thing, saying they understand that hydro rates have gone up, but there is absolutely no impact on jobs from this," Thibeault said, adding that his government has boosted the hospital's budget by 3.2 per cent, or more than $8 million.
While hospitals will see a rate reduction of only two to four per cent under his rate reduction plan, previous programs such as the Save On Energy Program have helped them save more. Through energy retrofits subsidized by the province is allowing them to reduce consumption and save about $500,000 a year on hydro costs.
"So the NDP isn't giving the full picture,” he said. “They are using one number spread out over six years. So yes, Health Sciences North's hydro budget went up $1 million over six years. But it's one per cent of a $440 million budget. It's not even an issue for them."
But Horwath disagreed, arguing the NDP's hydro plan will get rid of things like time of use pricing.
"By getting rid of time of use pricing alone, that one piece, the per kilowatt hour rate go down significantly," she said. "We also have a number of other plans to reduce the price of electricity over the short and long term. The hospital would be eligible for those reductions.
"And we're going to take back ownership of Hydro One, which will bring the province $7 billion in revenue over the 30-year period. Whereas the Liberal plan is going to cost us $25 billion to $40 billion over the next 30 years."
Horwath recently released an NDP plan they say will cut hydro bills by as much as 30 per cent. Thibeault said the Liberal plan is more aspirational than practical, a comment Horwath dismissed as “Liberal talking points.”
