Andrea Horwath calls for clarity on Northern Power Deals
Andrea Horwath, Ontario NDP Leader
QUEEN’S PARK, ON – Today in Question Period, Andrea Horwath pressed the McGuinty Liberals about the impact of high electricity prices on creating value-added jobs from the Ring of Fire and called on the government to review the role of private power contracts in driving up prices.
“Has the high cost of Ontario electricity been raised specifically by Cliffs or by other companies that plan to access the resources in the Ring of Fire?” demanded Horwath. The Premier declined to answer.
Horwath noted that the deal called further attention to Ontario’s broken electricity system. Ontario’s private power deals are making it harder and harder for businesses to stay and grow in Ontario: in fact, according to statistics compiled by Manitoba Hydro, an industrial operation in Ontario would pay $3 million more than a comparable operation in Manitoba and Quebec every month. (http://bit.ly/L1cWuy)
“New Democrats have been pretty clear that it’s time to start looking at affordable, reliable, public power in this province, the kind that’s actually keeping prices affordable in places like Manitoba and Quebec. Instead, the government is pushing ahead with plans that actually limit public oversight and accountability,” Horwath said the Premier.
“This deal proves what New Democrats have been saying: we can process Ontario’s resources in Ontario, and create new jobs for Ontarians,” Horwath noted. “We need to work on real solutions to make energy affordable and bring good value-added jobs to the province.”
