Ontarians Hit With Another Unaffordable Hydro Increase
QUEEN’S PARK – On May 1st, the people of Ontario will find yet another increase on their monthly hydro bill, with rates expected to rise $37.56 annually.
“Electricity rates in the province are skyrocketing and it’s only getting worse,” said Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown. “Since November, bills have gone up $186.96 a year for the average consumer. These rates are excessive for the average Ontarian.”
Ontario has the fastest rising hydro rates of any province or state in North America.
This is the latest unaffordable hydro increase for Ontarians, who were faced with another Ontario Energy Board (OEB) rate increase in November 2015. On January 1st, the Wynne Liberal Government also terminated the Clean Energy Benefit, representing a 10 per cent reduction in electricity charges, and the Ontario Electricity Support Program came into effect creating an additional cost for Ontarians.
“There’s a reason the Liberals don’t want to talk about hydro rates,” added Patrick Brown. “The legacy of the Wynne Liberals 13 years in government will be unaffordable energy rates in the province. What this government should be doing to help fight electricity price increases is to stop wasting money.”
While many Ontarians struggle to pay their hydro bills, the OEB claims rates are rising in part due to lower than expected usage over the winter.
“Of course the Wynne Liberals would blame rate increases on the weather. Of course they ignore the fact that the province produces enough surplus power that we could power the province of Nova Scotia for five years,” Brown stated. “What’s more, this government just signed another 5 wind generator contracts, for which we pay nearly double Quebec’s average. This is the reason we have higher rates in the province, and it’s why companies see our rates as a barrier to doing business.”