(Cambridge) MPP Rob Leone told Cambridge residents to brace for a larger hydro bill in the coming months. On May 1st, the Ontario Energy Board will raise the price of electricity in the province and with it, raise the cost of doing business.
“It’s disheartening for small businesses and it’s putting strain on the family budget,” said Leone. “Everywhere I go and everyone I talk to tells me that we are paying too much for Hydro.”
Leone and the Ontario PC Caucus have been critical of Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government and her mismanagement of the province’s hydro-electric system. The member for Cambridge was quick to point out that much of the $1.1 billion tab from the Premier’s gas plant scandal is being passed on to ratepayers.
“My constituents shouldn’t be paying for Liberal Party mistakes,” said Leone. “If Kathleen Wynne wants to cancel gas plants to win an election, then she should pay it back using Liberal Party funds instead of passing the buck to hard-working Ontario families.”
The rates will go up the most during peak-use times which will hit small business and low income families the hardest. After being threatened with tax increases for most of the calendar year, Ontarians won’t have the luxury of avoiding this hit to their bottom line.
“Most families and small businesses don’t have the luxury of using off-peak hours,“ continued Leone. “The mom and pop shops across the Waterloo Region aren’t going to open up at 4am to sell their products and grandmothers are going to wake up at midnight to do laundry.”
“This is death by a thousand cuts and consumers and businesses are both feeling the squeeze,” concluded Leone. “Sky high power rates deter businesses from setting up shop in our province and will chase the businesses that are already here, south of the border.”
-30-