Today the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) called on the Ontario government to provide transparency about the new seven year deal that will see the province buying hydroelectric power from Quebec. Both provinces have refused to disclose the price at which the electricity will be purchased.

“Electricity rates in Ontario are soaring because of the constant political intervention of this government,” said CTF Ontario Director Christine Van Geyn. “Families in Ontario can’t afford their rates to go even higher, and deserve transparency about the government’s latest hydro deal. We need to know that if we are buying electricity from Quebec, it won’t raise Ontarians’ bills.”

Ontario currently has some of the highest hydro rates in North America, with rural and suburban Hydro One consumers paying the highest and second highest in the continent. Ontario also has an over supply of power, that has resulted in exporting electricity to competing jurisdictions at huge losses. Transmission costs in the province are also rising, and the transmission grid between the provinces was not designed for long term imports. 

“Ontario families deserve to know what we’ll be paying for imported electricity. Maybe this is a good deal, maybe it’s a terrible one. Given what this government has done to our electricity bills in the last decade, we can’t just take them at their word that this will be a good deal for consumers,” concluded Van Geyn.  

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has recently launched a campaign aimed at engaging the public and empowering citizens to take action about high hydro rates and the impending new tax on home heating fuels and gasoline. More information is available at www.StopHighEnergyBills.ca.