Doug Ford Will Keep Pickering Nuclear Generating Station Open and Protect Jobs
NDP plan to shut down facility will force 4,500 people in Durham and 7,500 people across Ontario out of a job
Doug Ford today visited the site of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and committed that, under an Ontario PC Government, the station will remain open until 2024.
“Our position on Pickering is clear,” said Ford. “An Ontario PC Government will keep the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station open until 2024. Because unlike the NDP — I believe in made-in-Ontario electricity and made-in-Ontario jobs.”
Ford’s announcement follows recent revelations that the Ontario NDP has quietly committed to a Toronto lobby group to shutter the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station this summer. According to OPG, the facility is responsible for 4,500 jobs across Durham region, and contributes $600 million in savings to Ontario hydro bills. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has further calculated that 7,500 jobs across Ontario depend on the continued operation of the Pickering station. The NDP have signalled that they intend to make up for this lost hydro capacity by buying expensive electricity from Quebec.”
“The NDP are abandoning 7,500 jobs and 7,500 families, so Ms. Horwath can curry favour with yet another special interest,” said Ford. “Worst of all, her solution is to replace the electricity generating here by buying expensive electricity from Quebec. Exporting jobs, and importing electricity has become the new NDP plan. The people deserve better.”
“Today, I am calling on Andrea Horwath to come on down to Durham, stand in front of the thousands of workers she intends to lay-off and tell them exactly why she wants to kick them out of a job,” Ford concluded. “The curtain has been pulled back on the real NDP and it is time for Ms. Horwath to answer to all of the people who will be hurt by the NDP agenda.”