NDP reveals Ford blew $231 million cancelling green energy contracts

QUEEN’S PARK — New information revealed by the NDP shows that Doug Ford blew almost a quarter of a billion dollars ripping up green energy contracts. Peter Tabuns, Ontario NDP Energy critic, blasted Ford today in question period for burning through $231 million in taxpayer dollars while Ontario families struggle to afford high hydro prices that keep going up on Ford’s watch.

The revelation comes after the NDP spotted a strange number in the Public Accounts for the Ministry of Energy — a $231 million expense for “other transactions.” Follow-up with the Legislative Library produced responses from the ministry identifying this expense as the cost of cancelling roughly 750 green energy contracts, including the White Pines wind project. This flies in the face of the Ford government’s claim that there would be no cost associated with tearing down the windmills.

“The Ford government was clearly just making stuff up again when it claimed that ripping up green energy contracts wouldn’t cost Ontario families,” said Tabuns. “The $231-million price tag for Ford’s war on green energy projects exposes that claim as pure fiction.

“Ford is forcing Ontario families to pay the price of his wrong-headed decision to rip up green energy projects, much like the Liberals wasted money cancelling gas plant projects. This just adds insult to injury as Ford takes things from bad to worse for Ontario families by letting hydro bills go up, not down, instead of fixing the hydro mess left behind by the Liberals.”

Ontario’s skyrocketing hydro prices are hurting people like Glynnis Hill, a senior from London-Fanshawe who lives on a fixed income. Even after receiving OESP, reading by candlelight, staying up late to do laundry in off-peak hours and wearing a coat indoors, Hill struggles to afford her high hydro bills.

“Ontario families deserve so much better than a government that blows millions ripping up green energy contracts while turning its back on people like Glynnis,” said Teresa Armstrong, NDP MPP for London-Fanshawe. “This government should be taking immediate steps to bring families real relief on high hydro bills, not making things worse and wasting money ripping up green energy contracts.”