Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath was in Timmins on Friday morning to find out first hand how the province's soaring electricity costs are impacting businesses in the area.
Lorne Feldman, owner of Feldman Timber, gave Horwath and other NDP brass such as M.P. Charlie Angus and M.P.P. Gilles Bisson, a tour of his store and warehouse (shown).
The Feldman family has been in business in Timmins for over 100 years.
“One of things that is very clear from the discussion we've had, is the real challenge the Feldmans have had with the massive increase in electricity costs. As Lorne was saying, when he built this store, he did everything he could to making sure it was as efficient as possible. Yet here we are, a couple of years later and his hydro bills have gone up by 300 hundred percent” said Horwath.
She said Feldman, along with many other business owners are very concerned with the consequences of privatizing electricity.
“Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals are primed to sell of Hydro One to the private sector. The facts are clear, whenever there has a been a privatization of our electricity system around the country and around the continent, the rates go up significantly.”
Horwath mentioned a recent development in which 36 Chambers of Commerce (including Timmins) in various Ontario cities signed an agreement, asking the Wynne government to not only stop the sale, but to be more transparent about the exact financial terms involved in the proposed deal.
“The bottom line is, people can't afford to have their electricity rates go up again. We already know that the Liberals plan to increase electricity rates over the next couple of years by some 42 percent” she said.
Horwath offered up more frightening financial figures.
“If you add to that, an expected 25 percent spike after privatization, we're talking about a 70 percent increase in a very short period of time. Businesses will not be able to survive. Fixed income seniors will not be able to pay the bills. Already, people are telling me they can't make ends meet,” she said.
She acknowledged how tough it is for Northerners, having the vast majority of the economy resource based, as well as the longer winters contributing to power consumption.
“I want to congratulate the local Chamber of Commerce for being involved in this issue, but also the city council, who came out very strongly and very clearly against the privatization of Hydro One” said Horwath.
“The momentum is not lessening. More and more people are putting pressure on Kathleen Wynne and the Liberal government to back away from this rock-headed plan.”
Horwath stressed that the sale has not gone through yet, and that is not too late for any and all citizens of Ontario to make their voices heard.
“There is time to pull back and listen to the 75-85 percent of Ontarians who are solidly against this plan. The Liberals did their own polling, and 75 percent of people are opposed. We've heard from other independent polling that's happened, various unions have polled, and they are showing 85-90 percent of people are opposed to this scheme.” she said.
“The only people that win with the privatization of Hydro One is Bay Street” said Horwath.
Feldman emphasized how hard it has been for his family's century old business.
“Whether its business or owning a home, these escalating exponentially increasing hydro rates are preventing us from really moving ahead in our business. It's preventing families from enrolling kids in extra curricular activities like hockey, or piano, or dance. At the end of the day, it's very difficult to make investments as far as hiring more people, as far as contributing more to the community when you're facing double-digit increases month after month, and a hydro bill that comprises a significant amount of your expense” said Feldman.
Citizens opposed to the proposed sale are encouraged to write to their local MPP's, sign one of the numerous online petitions, or email Kathleen Wynne directly at [email protected].
