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The problem is that debt was assigned to a separate holding company to manâ€" age the debt that couldn‘t be tied to the transmission and distribution companies Ontario Hydro was broâ€" ken up into five different corporations as of April 1, 1999, with branches responâ€" sible for generation, serâ€" vices, transmission, distribâ€" ution as well as something known as the electric safety authority, responsible for enforcing the electrical safeâ€" ty code What the customer curâ€" rently sees on the utility‘s rate brochure is a cost that includes cost of generation, transmission and distribuâ€" tion. The cost of generation and distribution also pay down part of Ontario Hydro‘s multiâ€"billion dollar debt. "It depends if the market opens under the legislation as is currently proposed," said Gerry Hilhorst, managâ€" er of operations for Waterloo North Hydro. "At the time of market opening there will be changes in the rate strucâ€" ture." ny ratepayer expectâ€" A-irng savings from the estructuring of Ontario Hydro will be in for a shock come the fall as the local hydro commission plans for its first rate increase in seven years to service some of the costs of the breakâ€"up. Officials for Waterloo North Hydro applied for a 9.6â€"perâ€"cent rate increase in May when the local utility officially underwent | its restructuring as part of the provincewide reorganizaâ€" tion of Ontario Hydro. It would be the first increase for local utility users since a rate freeze went into effect in January of 1993. Local residents face rate increases as result of hydro commission restructuring Itlick hece) Wt â€" Oemmnimamineie" Bâ€"I Motors Authorized BMW & Volvo Relasler â€" 485 King St. N. Wat Telephone (519} 885 5090 Eâ€"mail info@bâ€"kmotors com Llooking For a New By Bos VRBANAC Chronicle Staff f "â€" ls [Oday w t Come on in Di YOUR § J \ins»â€" Morks: £ chance to ce y .e "There will still be financâ€" ing costs there associated with the debt of the former Ontario Hydro." Other _ cost _ burdens added to the utility will be the corporate taxes that Continued on page 4 "It is only the energy component that is open to competition," said Hilhorst. "Depending on who you lisâ€" ten to that represents 50 to 70 per cent of the bill." The _ other _ portion, including energy, transmisâ€" sion, rural rates assistance and debt retirement, isn‘t open to competition and leaves it with less flexibility in dealing with those costs. "Whether in the end cusâ€" tomers will pay more or less will depend largely on what the relative costs are of the distribution, . transmission and the energy component," said Hilhorst. "My expectaâ€" tion is that cost will not decrease Hilhorst said as part of deregulation, the distribuâ€" tion costs will get separated out and become a separate component of the bill. Energy, transmission, rural rates assistance and debt retirement for the stranded debt will also be separate components of the bill. Unfortunately, it didn‘t allow the local utility, now owned by the City of Waterloo and the Townships of Woolwich and Wellesley, to escape the servicing of the debt that still must be done, as well as the cost of restructuring. Contest runs till September 8/00 Is today "We are very hopeful (about winâ€" ning)," said Barbara Veale, coordinator of strategic planning and partnerships for the Grand River Conservation Authority. "We feel it‘s a testimony to our partners and we think we have a strong nomination." However, noted Veale, there is not much information available to them regarding the other systems The Grand River is the only system from either North or South America to be named to the list, which also includes rivers in Japan, New Zealand, Wales and Australia. he Grand River has been named I to the shortâ€"list for the world‘s most prestigious river manageâ€" ment award with eight other internaâ€" tional river systems as part of the River Festival 2000. Grand River named to shortâ€"list for international management award Other â€" nominees â€" include the 9 O / _= â€" 11cha. JX 3 § e i < 7,/{ _ ‘4/ W o :\ / F o rArop. FIH 27 wm;s C ae y po‘ & 2 w M L e _ d AlP\ fâ€" y t o 4 Joe : 8. J > M C P F mimet", 39 04. 52 '.‘G‘A“ } “‘“@g & r; 2l ol i f i h F2 A * B *z ies a~ : /o ts L4 ; t i2 . s c mc 7 6 * Th on k y e 4 2z zP , > P C e altein~ > 2 D. e / * Bs â€" m *T §) Te soain B â€" e | w â€" : M 2 h..z*~..~ Â¥E i â€" ~<<mp * . \Hes A * e [ e ~_ Fa j, e 1-'}\ se T t ANDREA BAILEY PHOTOS k w ces e e old css They can dig it [ _ e Eo N iyeptale h e on prammmanle n eeaaomaien mrarews lag‘s PAGE 3 For the Chronicle By Ray BowE The inaugural winner at last year‘s festival was the Mersey Basin in northâ€" west England Veale called the Grand River system "a story of recovery" because of the plight the system has witnessed in the past. In the 1930s, the river was very Blackwood Basin in western Australia, the Mitchell > River in _ remote Queensland, Australia, Melbourne Waterways in Australia, the Tsurumi River in Tokyo, Japan, the Whanganui River in New Zealand and the Afonydd Glan in Wales. "It is now one of the healthiest in North America. People now see the river as an asset." â€" Barbara Veale Grand River Conservation Authority Eric Tanguay (above) and Johnny Gibson (left) weren‘t afraid to get their hands dirty last week when they took part in Wilfrid Laurier University‘s archaeology kids‘ camp. The simulated site, located just off Regina Street in Waterloo, allowed students to uncover links to the past in the form of small pits of dirt to artiâ€" facts such as beads. lf{caarn MA Mon C 3 e â€"fr, f > IL11 ./f( /y{)y 9 AttrriattLtre //'///‘ /7//1'-9/ LA'Z'BOY’ -(/l,l//(’{‘l/ 46 King St. N., Waterloo 886â€"2040 Wed 10â€"6 Thursâ€"Fri 10â€"8 Sat 10â€"5 Sun 1â€"5 FREE PARKING t 2 Telephone (519) 885â€"5090 The criteria for the nominees include demonstrative and handsâ€"on performance; genuine participation by In 1966, the Commission and Authority amalgamated to form the Grand River Conservation Authority, which promotes the quality of life in and on the Grand River "It is now one of the healthiest in North America," said Veale. "People now see the river as an asset." In 1946, the Grand Valley Conservation Authority worked in conâ€" junction with landowners to plant more trees to prevent erosion and maintain existing dams unhealthy due to floods and droughts, and the majority of the river was raw sewage, said Veale. In 1938, the Grand _ River Conservation Commission was formed as a multiâ€"purpose venture to build dams for flood control, maintain water quality and plant trees along its shores. B (cick here} CTea" Bâ€"K Motors Authorized BMW & Yoive Retoder â€" 485 King 51. N. Wat Looking For a New Continued on page 4 Eâ€"mail info@bâ€"kmotors.com