Blame former Premier Mike Harris for high energy rates in Ontario. That’s according to Premier Kathleen Wynne who was asked why our rates are so high while visiting North Bay.
Wynne says the Liberals inherited a degraded generating system when they took power from the Tories in 2003 resulting in the creation of 10,000 kilometres in new transmission lines. Nipissing Tory MPP Vic Fedeli says while it’s true the Liberals created thousands of kilometres in new lines, he adds that was to help them make energy for windmills.
He says this had nothing to do with Mike Harris. The Tory finance critic says the reality is Ontario’s expensive electricity is due to poor energy policies the Liberals pursued.
He says among them are their Green Energy Act, the gas plant scandal in Southern Ontario, the failed smart meters all of which cost billions of dollars. Fedeli says under the Liberals, hydro rates have quadrupled when they promised the Green Energy Act would add only one percent to costs.
He says that is not what happened, as if you live in rural or northern Ontario, you’re paying 26 cents a kilowatt hour, as opposed to four cents when Mike Harris left office.
Fedeli adds this is Wynne again refusing to take responsibility for something her government created and has cost taxpayers dearly.
(Written by: Rocco Frangione)