rate payers

Wednesday August 17, 2016

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)

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday August 17, 2016

Energy minister, Wynne defend decision to put carbon tax in delivery line on bills

Tuesday April 14, 2015Premier 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.

April 19, 2016

April 19, 2016

“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.”

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.

Wednesday April 15, 2015Thibeault 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. (Source: CTV News)

 

Tuesday April 19, 2016

 

2016-04-19Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday April 19, 2016

Hydro rates going up this summer, Ontario Energy Board says

Wednesday April 15, 2015Hydro rates are going up this summer, the Ontario Energy Board announced Thursday, a move that will add about $3 a month to the average household bill.

Time-of-use electricity rates have to go up because Ontarians used less power than expected during the milder winter, the OEB said.

The total monthly bill will rise 2.5 per cent for households that consume 750 kilowatt hours per month, the agency said.

  • Time-of-use prices will got up a half cent to 18 cents per kilowatt hour for the peak period, which runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
  • The off-peak rate, which is in effect between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. and all day on weekends and holidays, is going up to 8.7 cents a kwh.

The changes go into effect on May 1.

“Ontarians consumed less electricity than expected over the recent milder winter,” said a statement from the OEB.

Thursday December 11, 2014“As a result of lower usage, Regulated Price Plan (RPP) prices did not recover the full cost of serving RPP customers. One of the main reasons prices are increasing in May is to recover this shortfall.”

Time-of-use prices vary based on when electricity is used during the day. They encourage consumers to use power when electricity market prices are lower.

The OEB reviews electricity prices twice each year based on updated cost forecasts, and prices are designed to recover the actual cost of electricity over the forecast period. (Source: CBC News)