Fact-Checking Glenn Thibeault’s Tap Dance of a Scrum on Hydro One Compensation

When pressed on the CEO of Hydro One’s salary compared to other provinces, Glenn Thibeault said: “We also have a province of 13 million people here in Ontario, and when you are looking at the salaries of comparable businesses he’s actually in the middle of the pack.”

FACT: Ontario may have more people than Quebec, but Hydro-Quebec services more customers than Hydro One.  Hydro-Quebec handles electricity generation for the province, and Hydro One does not. Quebec has lower rates than Ontario.  

The CEO at Hydro-Quebec is paid $543,559, and the CEO of Hydro One makes $6.2 million

When pressed on whether it’s possible to fire the CEO and board of Hydro One, Glenn Thibeault said: “That’s something you’d have to ask Mr. Ford.”

FACT: Glenn Thibeault is the Minister of Energy and should be able to answer these types of questions. If Thibeault was on top of his file, he would have been able to answer yes. The governance agreement between Hydro One and Ontario clearly outlines that the province is able to remove the entire board.

Glenn Thibeault could also ask Kathleen Wynne who has stood up on multiple occasions in the House to ensure the people of Ontario that we would have the power to remove the CEO.

Glenn Thibeault said: “They have no ideas or no mechanisms to bring actual savings,” and “he [Doug Ford] does not have a plan when it comes to electricity policy.”

FACT: Aside from firing the CEO of Hydro One and reining in executive compensation, Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs will scrap the Green Energy Act, which Ontarians overpaid $9.2 billion for contracts that were awarded to Liberal donors.

Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs will put a moratorium on future energy contracts. Ontario currently has a surplus of power that we ship to competing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio at a loss. 

Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs will go line by line through every energy contract and look for exit clauses.

Glenn Thibeault said: “We’ve taken 25 per cent off everyone’s bills.”

FACT: Since the Liberals first took office in 2003, hydro bills have tripled. This costs the average family more than $1,000 extra a year. With the Liberals’ “Unfair” Hydro Plan rates will skyrocket again after the next election.

Glenn Thibeault said: “Ultimately the board is there to make the best decisions for Hydro One.”

FACT: That’s the point. Since Kathleen Wynne’s fire sale of Hydro One, decisions have been made to suit the best interests of insiders and Bay Street executives – not the people of Ontario.