PCs call for OPP to investigate Gas Plant Scandal 2.0

OPG among companies underwater on $80M in ineligible expenses including scuba equipment

The Ontario PCs are calling on the OPP to investigate the $260 million in ineligible expenses claimed by power plants including the publicly owned Ontario Power Generation (OPG). $80 million remains unpaid and the Liberals have said they will not make any effort to recover the money for ratepayers.

“The abuses are so egregious that a second look by law enforcement is only prudent,” wrote PC Energy Critic Todd Smith to OPP Commission Vince Hawkes.  “I have serious concerns about what appeared to be a broad and systemic abuse of the energy system and, ultimately, the hard-earned money of ratepayers. I have no faith in the Liberal government’s ability to punish the companies responsible.”
 
The revelations that OPG is among the companies that still owe ratepayers for inappropriate expenses has drawn the Liberal Government closer to the heart of the scandal that was blown open by a scathing Auditor General report last week. Premier Kathleen Wynne took the time to launch a series of attacks on opposition parties from her trip to China, but has remained silent on if she would direct OPG to repay the expenses. She returns to the legislature today.
 
“We know that a former CEO at OPG got a massive bonus while expenses filed under his management were being investigated. We know that the Liberals ignored five warnings from the regulator and kept a committee of the Legislature from looking into it. Now we are at the point where seniors and families who are forced to choose between heating and eating in the winter are forced to pay for absurd expenses like scuba gear and raccoon traps for government energy executives,” said Smith. “Will Kathleen Wynne step in and do the right thing today and ensure the expenses are repaid?”