Wednesday September 14, 2016

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Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday September 14, 2016 Liberal throne speech promises hydro relief In a bid to quiet the discontent that has been plaguing Kathleen Wynne's Liberals, the Ontario government promised in a throne speech today that it will provide rebates to urban and rural residents and small businesses to help offset high electricity rates. Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell announced that eligible Ontario residents and small businesses can can expect a rebate on electricity bills that is equal to the provincial portion of harmonized sales tax (HST), which amounts to about $130 a year for a typical household. Rural rate payers will receive savings of 20 per cent a month, approximately $45 or $540 per year. This rebate goes into effect Jan 1, 2017. The rebate aims to stem the tide of anger over rising hydro bills for many Ontarians, especially those in the northern parts of the province. But Nipissing Progressive Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli says the rebates are too little, too late. "Since 2010, your hydro rates have climbed $295 a year [on average]. Plus, just since last May, in addition to that, they rose another $255," he told CBC News. "To hear somebody is going to give you $130 of your own money back Ñ that they now have to go and borrow Ñ that doesn't make any sense whatsoever.Ó Taking the HST off hydro bills is something the provincial NDP has pushed for in the past. However Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas says taking off the provincial portion of the tax is not enough. "People who come to see me, it's because their bill used to be $67 [for] monthly equal billing," she said. "It is now $300.Ó Energy analyst Tom Adams points out there are other factors that will affect hydro bills, including rate increases and the introduction of cap and trade. "Those factors will approximately offset all the savings that were announced. So in terms of net benefit, there's not much to go on here.Ó (Source: CBC News)Êhttp:/

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 14, 2016

Liberal throne speech promises hydro relief

In a bid to quiet the discontent that has been plaguing Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals, the Ontario government promised in a throne speech today that it will provide rebates to urban and rural residents and small businesses to help offset high electricity rates.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday September 9, 2016 Kathleen Wynne prorogues legislature for throneÊspeech Monday Premier Kathleen Wynne is giving her Liberals a mid-mandate reboot with a Monday throne speech aimed at ÒeverydayÓÊconcerns like high electricity bills after a steamy summer.Ê Wynne, who prorogued the Legislature on Thursday, will outline the governmentÕs agenda for the 20 months leading up to theÊspring 2018 election in an address to be read by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell. ÒIÕm looking forward to Monday and the throne speech,Ó a beaming Wynne said as she returned to her office with Secretary ofÊCabinet Steve Orsini, the head of the Ontario public service, after meeting with Dowdeswell. The speech will focus on Òmaking the everyday lives of Ontarians better,Ó Government House leader Yasir Naqvi later told a newsÊconference ÒWe know Ontarians have concerns about things like hydro prices, concerns about cost and everyday living,Ó he added, saying allÊgovernment legislation Ñ including the political fundraising reform bill triggered by aÊStarÊseries Ñ will be reintroduced, in someÊcases with amendments. That means the prohibition on MPPs and candidates attending campaign fundraisers, and the ban on union and corporateÊdonations to political parties will almost certainly take effect in January. Wynne signalled pocketbook issues are top of mind after last weekÕsÊbyelection lossÊof former Liberal stronghold Scarborough-Rouge River to the Progressive Conservatives, who scoffed at her sudden attention to them. ÒApparently Premier Wynne only just learned that Ontario families are struggling to afford their hydro bills,Ó PC Leader PatrickÊBrown Ñ who was not available to take questions Ñ said in a statement calling the Liberals Òold, tired and self-interested.Ó (Source: Toronto Star) Êhttps://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2016/09/08/wynne-to-prorogue-the-legislature-for-throne-speech-monday.html Ontario, K

September 9, 2016

Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell announced that eligible Ontario residents and small businesses can can expect a rebate on electricity bills that is equal to the provincial portion of harmonized sales tax (HST), which amounts to about $130 a year for a typical household.

Rural rate payers will receive savings of 20 per cent a month, approximately $45 or $540 per year.

This rebate goes into effect Jan 1, 2017.

The rebate aims to stem the tide of anger over rising hydro bills for many Ontarians, especially those in the northern parts of the province.

But Nipissing Progressive Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli says the rebates are too little, too late.

“Since 2010, your hydro rates have climbed $295 a year [on average]. Plus, just since last May, in addition to that, they rose another $255,” he told CBC News.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday August 17, 2016 Energy minister, Wynne defend decision to put carbon tax in delivery line on bills Premier Kathleen Wynne is defending the decision to bury the cost of Ontario's cap-and-trade plan in the "delivery" line on natural gas bills. The Ontario Energy Board announced last week that costs related to the Liberals' climate change plan would not appear in a separate line item on consumers' bills for natural gas, which is used to heat most homes in the province. Wynne said Thursday that the government doesn't interfere with decisions made by an arms-length agency like the energy board, which she pointed out consulted the industry and public before issuing its directive on carbon pricing. "My understanding is they talked with local distribution companies, they talked to consumer groups across the province, and as you know, they are an independent body," she said. "They made a decision to configure the bills that way and we don't direct the OEB.Ó Quebec and British Columbia include the cost of carbon pricing as a separate line item on bills. But like Wynne, Energy Minister Glen Thibeault insisted it was the energy board's decision to put the cost of cap and trade in the delivery charge instead of its own line on bills. Thibeault insisted nothing was being hidden, and said the government was being transparent about the cost of cap-and-trade just by talking about the new fee. The minister walked away from reporters without answering when asked if the energy board now sets policy for the Liberal government. The Liberals expect their climate change plan will add about $5 a month to home heating bills and about 4.3 cents a litre to the price of gasoline. Ontario will join an existing cap-and-trade market with California and Quebec next January, mandating pollution limits on companies but allowing them to buy emission credits or sell them to others if they are under their quota. (CTV News)

August 17, 2016

“To hear somebody is going to give you $130 of your own money back — that they now have to go and borrow — that doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.”

Taking the HST off hydro bills is something the provincial NDP has pushed for in the past. However Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas says taking off the provincial portion of the tax is not enough.

“People who come to see me, it’s because their bill used to be $67 [for] monthly equal billing,” she said. “It is now $300.”

Energy analyst Tom Adams points out there are other factors that will affect hydro bills, including rate increases and the introduction of cap and trade.

“Those factors will approximately offset all the savings that were announced. So in terms of net benefit, there’s not much to go on here.” (Source: CBC News)