PC leader Hudak demands end to province's hydro debt charge at Scarborough event.
Ontario PC party leader Tim Hudak speaks at a press conference in Scarborough Friday afternoon, calling for a forensic audit to explain the continued need for Ontario Hydro's debt retirement charges. He is joined by PC candidates Gary Ellis, Scarborough-Guildwood and Salman Farooq, Pickering-Scarborough East. (Jan. 28, 2011)
Staff photo/NICK PERRY
Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak is calling on Premier Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government to come clean on its collection of the hydro Debt Retirement Charge that began in 2002, set to be paid off by 2012,
"The McGuinty government wants to keep the Debt Retirement Charge going (for an additional six years) until 2018," said Hudak at a press conference Friday, Jan. 28, afternoon at a transformer station on Mike Myers Drive in Scarborough.
The Debt Retirement Charge (DRC) was set up to pay off a $7.8 billion in hydro debt. According to the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation, since 2002, Ontario families have paid $7.8 billion into the DRC.
However, McGuinty is not showing signs of taking the DRC off Ontario hydro bills, Hudak said.
"Scarborough families are rightly concerned that the McGuinty government is turning a temporary debt retirement charge into a permanent tax-grab on local families," Hudak said.
That's why Hudak, along with local PC candidates Salman Farooq, Pickering/Scarborough East, and Gary Ellis, Scarborough/Guildwood, are calling for a forensic audit on the DRC.
"Hard-working Scarborough families deserve to know how much longer is this charge going to be on their skyrocketing hydro bills," Hudak said.
When asked what his plans were for future energy resources and development in Scarborough, Hudak explained the PC party supports renewable energy, but insists it needs to be affordable and put in communities where it's welcomed.
"Our definition of clean energy includes nuclear power and hydro-electricity, two standards that have always made Ontario strong and are much more affordable to the residents," he said.
"Our approach would be to make sure any kind of power coming goes through a transparent, open and competitive process (to find) the best technology at the best price for the ratepayer who has to pay the bill."