THUNDER BAY – Progressive Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli says “A new industrial electricity incentive announced by the Energy Minister today effectively nullifies any competitive advantage Northern Ontario businesses may have had”.
The program, announced earlier today will offer new and existing businesses in Southern Ontario the same hydro rate as those in the Northern Industrial Electricity Rate Program are currently getting – $55 per megawatt-hour according to the PC MPP.
“It’s just another hit from this government for Northerners,” said Fedeli, who said today’s announcement is an indictment of the Liberals own record on energy and jobs”.
“Ontario has gone from the lowest electricity rates to the second-highest in North America”, noted Fedeli. “Along the way, we lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs and our economy has been devastated.”
“Instead of acknowledging the real problem”, Fedeli added, “the Minister is doubling down by continue to add more expensive energy to the system”.
“Our party has been clear – we would cancel the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) program, which is adding expensive surplus wind power that we simply don’t need,” Fedeli said.
“Instead, the Minister wants to add six times more expensive wind and solar to the grid by 2018.
Fedeli points to the loss of 670 jobs in Timmins when Xstrata Copper moved its operations across the border into Quebec for cheaper power. “Along the way, we lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs and our economy has been devastated,” said Fedeli. “In Northern Ontario, 60 mills closed – and now we lose our competitive advantage.”
Instead of acknowledging the real problem, Fedeli added, the Minister is doubling down by continue to add more expensive energy to the system.
“Our party has been clear – we would cancel the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) program, which is adding expensive surplus wind power that we simply don’t need,” Fedeli said.