Patrick Brown Wraps up Tour of Northwestern Ontario, Citing Hydro Rates as Number One Issue
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO – Today, Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown wrapped up his week-long tour of Northwestern Ontario, marking his 21st stop in the North over the past two years. During the tour, Brown made stops in Thunder Bay, Kakabeka Falls, Atikokan, Fort Frances, Rainy River First Nations, and Emo, with the tour culminating with members of the Ontario PC Caucus gathering for caucus meetings in Kenora.
While the Premier’s recent tour of Northern Ontario avoided any conversation surrounding skyrocketing electricity rates, Patrick Brown found the topic brought up at nearly every stop.
“By far and away the biggest issue in the minds of Northern Ontarians are sky-high electricity rates. Our province is already home to the highest rates in North America, and further rate increases are expected. People are worried about how they’re going to pay their bills every month. Many are already faced with the difficult choice of heating or eating,” said Brown. “13 years of Liberal scandal, waste, and mismanagement within the energy sector has driven Northern Ontarians into energy poverty, but the Wynne Liberals continue to deny that a crisis exists in the North.”
In Kakabeka Falls, Brown met with the owner of Odena Foods, a local business who has experienced a 10 per cent increase in their hydro bills in the last year alone.
Throughout the course of the tour, Brown placed an emphasis on listening to the concerns and suggestions of Northerners, who through their lived expertise are best equipped to address the challenges their region faces. Brown participated in roundtable discussions with community, business and government leaders, as well as with First Nations stakeholders.
“I think the fact that we chose to hold our caucus meeting in Kenora is evidence to how much emphasis we have placed on listening and understanding the issues of Northern Ontario,” concluded Brown. “After 13 years of Liberal Government at Queen’s Park, the region has felt shut out of the discussion at Queen’s Park, but in an Ontario PC Government, Northern Ontario will have a voice at the table.”