December 5th, 2016

Listen to Ontarians, stop the sell-off of Hydro One

Today during Question Period Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath  said that the Premier must listen to Ontarians who are struggling to pay their rising hydro bills,  and stop the sell-off Hydro One. 

“I don’t think the Premier realizes just how hard life is getting for people across Ontario,” said Horwath.  “Instead of listening, instead of trying to understand what the hydro sell-off means for people, the Premier is burying her head in the sand.” 

Last week Horwath received an email from a senior living in Sault Ste. Marie – though he asked not to be named, he wanted his story shared with the Premier to show her in a tangible way, the effect that the hydro sell-off is having on him.

“This senior uses candles because he’s so worried about the cost of turning on the lights. He told me about the shame he feels feel because he can’t explain to his friends why he can't meet them for coffee, because the hydro bill leaves so little money left over,” said Horwath.  “Nobody in Ontario should have to live with that kind of worry, or feel shame for something that isn’t their fault.”

Horwath also noted that small businesses in her community and across Ontario can’t afford their skyrocketing hydro bills.

“Glow Juicery is a small business in Hamilton that just opened.  Jesse Briscoe, Glow’s owner, is proud of the company she started, but she's worried she might have to close up shop due to the high hydro costs she is incurring,” Horwath noted.

This is what Jesse had to say about the Premier's hydro ‘mistake’: 'Okay, you say it's a mistake, what are you actually going to do about it?... Give small businesses a break. Do something. Anything.'

“Without action, without showing Ontarians that she is serious when she says she made a mistake on the hydro file and doing something to fix it, the Premier just has no credibility and the people and small businesses of Ontario are left to suffer,” said Horwath.