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Just In Time For Winter, Liberal Government Allows Peak Electricity Prices To Rise By Almost 9%

electricity

After just raising our electricity prices in MAY of this year, prepare yourself for more bad news. On November 1st rates are going up again.

On peak energy rates in the morning from 7am to 11am (when we all get up, cook breakfast, shower and turn the furnace up) and from 5pm to 7pm (when we get home, cook meals and turn the furnace back up) will be going up to 17.5 cents per kWh! That’s an increase of almost 9%! Mid and Off-Peak rates will also be rising.

According to a Globe and Mail article: “Premier Kathleen Wynne and her government have been on the defensive about electricity prices. There was a rate hike in May, which raised consumers’ hydro bills by nearly $6 a month. Ms. Wynne’s government also announced in its spring budget that it is selling 60 per cent of Hydro One to help pay for new transit and infrastructure. This has raised fears that private ownership will cause prices to go even higher.”

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m tired of hearing “Consumers can shift their energy use to off-peak and install energy efficient light bulbs to save money”. I’ve shifted everything I can to off-peak. Every light in my house is either a compact fluorescent or LED light bulb. My house is well insulated and all my appliances are relatively new. We only do laundry or dishes after 7pm or on weekends.

There’s simply nothing more I can do to shift my energy usage.

At some point in time we have to start making more noise about the failed Liberal energy policies that have brought us to this point. Residential consumers are being squeezed and Large Businesses may relocate outside of Ontario because of energy costs.

18 Comments

  1. I can not afford to pay more hydro, I have a disabled husband who I take care of and he gets a little pension, I drive a school bus and you expect me to pay more Hydro. this is just crazy. I won’t be able to buy food because I will have to choose between lights and heat or food.

  2. I think the hydro rates are going up to pay for the wind turbines in Ontario. The Ontario taxpayers are responsible for paying each farmer or land owner $50,000.00 a year for having a turbine on his/her land. On top of that who knows how much is the cost of each turbine itself and the manpower who put up these beauties in the pristine landscape of Ontario!

  3. Blame the liberals seems to be the trend.
    In the meantime it is a huge cost to pay farmers to have these wind turbines on their property.
    If you look at voting maps- farmers are cons.
    So whose to blame?

  4. This makes me sick how our elected Government officials live like kings and queens on our hard earned dollar yet majority of us are struggling to make ends meet. Kathleen Wynne should be in prison for all our money she wasted on a “gas plant”! That’s just the tip if the ice berg! People need to wake up and protest what’s important because bitching about it ain’t solving anything. We are taxed to death and live in the most expensive province for Hydro fees already. Enough is enough!!! People get off Facebook, turn off your TV and let’s do something!

  5. Y dont people give the Liberals a flippin CHANCE my god its been 4days they didnt build Rome in a day …im not impressed either about my bill going up from $325 a month to $ 353 but u cant expect a change over night ! ..All everyone does is complain about stuff like she said before me going on social media is not gna do nothing ..all it is …is a bitch fest and when we can start writing the government.if wasnt Justin their wud be complaints about the next person in his place because u xant make everyone happy there is always gna be somebody complaining about someone …i for 1 have realized it’s better to take a step back and try a more calm pleasant way of concurring issues !!

    —– Editor’s Comment:
    —– Just to be clear for those who dont understand the issue, this is the PROVINCIAL LIBERAL PARTY of ONTARIO – NOT the federal Liberals. It would be nice if people understood this before commenting. Thank you.

  6. The liberal government you’re talking about wasnt elected until the 19th so why was this published on the 17th. His platform was all about making life easier on yhe middle class. Doubt hell be hiking up the cost of hydro.

    — Editor’s Note:
    If you read the article you would understand that this is the PROVINCIAL LIBERAL GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO and has nothing to do with Justin Trudeau.

  7. Re – Smack: Your comment is nonsensical. The Ontario Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) program was introduced in 2009 by Dalton McGunity’s Liberal government as the “cornerstone” of their Green Energy Act. The program costs are entirely the fault of the provincial Liberal government, who, whether under McGuinty or Wynne, have not chosen to revisit them.

    Really. Are all those who voted Liberal this uninformed? If so, we are all in trouble.

  8. Since this hydro1 crap started my wife n i have changed to flouresent lighting run only what we have to during the day may was bad enough now nov is another hike and word is hydro1 has already approached the energy board for another hike !
    the ceo makes 4.2million for a $100.000 job why so high??? i’m glad i own a couple of generators i’m concerned bout my wife n i ,but more concerned for all the elderly on hydro1 also all the children living under the poverty line on hydro1 how are they supposed to get through the winter ! the price of food is already at a stupidly high cost , heating fuel went nutz last year now hydro1 . can’t believe that ontario residents are letting this go on ! watch the suicide rate rise, plus the crime rate gonna go through the roof cause the government on a money hungry power trip sounds to me more on a killing trip this hydro thing is going to harm alot of people and simply has to stop, it will also hurt the tourist trade severely , well i hope all the people reading these comments will be alright while this country is in crisis with our hdro1 and food financial problems good luck and peace be with everyone

  9. This increase is ludicrous!!!!!!!! At $11.25 an hour for work I can hardly feed my family! What is with this stupid “B”. Well I guess more businesses will leave and more people will be out of work and people like me and the elderly will live their lives “STONE COLD” just like her! Have never hated anyone so much in my life!

  10. I sympathize with the commenters who are genuinely concerned about how to make ends meet with these increases in hydro. THEY are the ones who understand that this is the result of Kathleen Wynne, Provincial Liberal – and has nothing to do with the “election” or the incoming federal government. For those that don’t understand this, get a grip. The Junior will be screwing you soon enough also, then you can respond to our complaints that “it’s Harper’s fault”. SMH – get a clue

  11. You all have good reasons to complain of the hydro rate increases. I have recently taken a medical retirement due to health reasons and realize your frustrations. My income has reduced by 30% or more since retiring and now have realized to make some adjustments as to the time of day I use hydro one. Yes, I agree when we want to prepare a meal our rates are at peak. Why? Should we not have a hot meal on a cold winter day? Most offices, banks, etc close at 5 pm therefore hydro rates should change to mid peak or off peak to allow families to enjoy a family meal prepared at home and have some quality of life without the stress of an increase to your hydro bill. Our other choice to reduce hydro usage is to have 3 generations living under one roof and hydro one will only be receiving payment from one home, not three. That’s how families lived a few generations ago. I am personally thinking of making this transition by relocating to live with my daughter/son in law and their children. I would like to see your comments on how you would make changes to your living situation to reduce your costs for a better life financially. We can’t go on complaining as its not good for our health. Moe

  12. I have been watching this Liberal fiasco happening for years now. The politicians involved never get caught and prosecuted. If you and I steal 100 bucks, we are tried and punished. They have the power to stuff everything under the carpet. I am so fed up with it. Some of those provincial liberals (small L) belong behind bars starting with McGinty and fol lowed by Wynne. I know there are not many people can do this but I have sold pretty well everything I own ,house,cars, and other things and I am leaving this once great part of the country. That’s how fed up I am. All the talk and petitions in the world will not make any difference until these people are ousted and then new recall powers are handed to the voters. That is all the power we have ….1 vote every 4 years ? BIG DEAL. Ontario will not get any of my cash any time soon. FED UP in Ontario.

  13. *At some point in time we have to start making more noise about the failed Liberal energy policies that have brought us to this point. * make your NOISE at the polls… and go ahead – vote in a Conservative party – then watch EVERYTHING go up… She’s selling of our assets after lying over and over again that she was not – and now she’s sneaking behind closed doors with dignitaries of China…what the hell is she selling off now????? Get a grip Ontario – you’re about to see pre-election games being played to be sure she spends all your tax paying dollars on supporting this regime of *hers*.

  14. Why, when we are selling our power to the states, and have the use of Niagara Falls, which can not only supply all of Ontario but much more, are we paying more??? We are selling it at a loss and we are paying for it. Not to mention all of these new solar panels that are going up AT OUR EXPENSE. We do need to take a stand against this. We ALL do.

  15. Tired of hearing the vlame put on the Liberals. Hello people!! Harper was in power for 10 years!! To think that the Conservatives have nothing to do with the rising costs of hydro is absolutely ignorant on your part. Wynne is only doing her job the best way she can with what’s been given to her. Do I like that the hydro rates are soo high? No but I also know that there are MANY other factors involved with the rise in rates. There are new charging stations being put in place so people can charge their electric car. What about the wind turbines? Do you not think that it costs us tax payers thousands of dollars a year! As stated in a previous comment, the cost tax payers approximately $50,000 per year for one turbine. What about those working for hydro recieving outragous salary increases?
    Once you know the truth, then maybe you will layoff the Liberals, quit blaming them for EVERY increase in rates, fees or, taxes, etc. YOU MUST remember that there was a government in office before them. A government that has clearly not been completely honest about what has really been going on behind closed doors.

    –Editor’s note: EVEEYTHING you cite in your message is under the DIRECT control of the liberal government. All the increases can be directly contributed to the Liberals in Ontario.

    1. Sonja: The Ontario Liberals are responsible for provincial energy policy. The Green Energy Act is Liberal legislation. Your inability to tell the difference between federal and provincial jurisdiction would be laughable if it wasn’t so frightening. Read my lips: HARPER’S GOVERNMENT DID NOT SET ONTARIO ENERGY POLICY.

      Sheesh.

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