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5| W aterloo C hronicle | T hursday,M ay 31,2018 w aterloochronicle.ca Dorothy McCabe A new, stronger voice for Waterloo. 519-342-4052 www.dorothymccabe.ca /VoteDorothyMcCabe info@dorothymccabe.ca @DorothyMcCabe Authorized by the CFO for theWaterloo PLA ONTARIO VOTES Visit waterloochronicle.ca for more coverage PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVES Leader Doug Ford has made no bones about his plans for Hydro One, re- cently vowing to fire its cur- rent CEO as well as the en- tire board. A tripling of electricity rates under the Liberals have cost the average Onta- rio family more than $1,000 a year and driven jobs from the province, the Tories said in a statement provid- ed to Simcoe.com. Hydro rates will contin- ue to skyrocket if the Liber- als are re-elected, the party said, adding that Ontarians' bills had tripled since 2003, boosting the average fami- ly's annual costs by as much as $1,000 or more. In addition to canning Hydro One's CEO - who was paid a reported $6.2 million in 2017, including a $1.7-mil- lion performance raise - the PCs would lower hydro rates by "reining in execu- tive compensation, scrap- ping the Green Energy Act and putting a moratorium on future energy con- tracts," spokesperson Si- mon Jefferies said. In a statement, Ford's campaign pointed to a re- lease from the Fraser Insti- tute focusing on hydro rates and the impact on families and jobs. Specifically, it said resi- dential costs had increased 71 per cent between 2008 and 2016 - more than double the national average increase of 34 per cent. The report also claimed Ontario's electricity rates had reduced manufactur- ing employment by 75,000 jobs between 2008 and 2015. THE LIBERALS Families and businesses have voiced concern over the rate at which the cost of electricity was rising, the Liberals acknowledged in a statement to Simcoe.com. "So last year we took ac- tion to reduce bills by 25 per cent on average and up to 50 per cent on average for ru- ral residents and business- es. Further support is also available for low-income residents and rates will be kept to inflation for four years." It added that, for de- cades, governments of all parties failed to invest in Ontario's electricity sys- tem. The Liberals "inherited a dirty, unreliable system that needed billions of dol- lars in upgrades. "We made those needed investments and ensured a greener, more sustainable system, including by elimi- nating coal - the largest re- duction in greenhouse-gas emissions in North Ameri- ca. Today, Ontario's grid is 95 per cent emissions-free and we have zero smog days." The Liberals say their long-term energy plan fo- cuses on greener energy while setting out a compre- hensive strategy for fair, predictable pricing. Under previous Pro- gressive Conservative lead- er Patrick Brown, the To- ries "largely echoed our plan," the Liberals added. "Under their new leader, Doug Ford, all they're offer- ing on this complex file are slogans and sound bites that will do nothing to re- duce electricity rates and will take us down the same chaotic path we've seen south of the border - govern- ing by firing people." GREEN PARTY Characterizing nuclear power as outdated technol- ogy, and Ontario's current electricity system as unsus- tainable, the Green Party says it would position the province as a leader in the clean energy economy. Priorities include an in- dependent review of costs, benefits and alternatives of all forms of generation, with all results made pub- lic. The party would place a moratorium on rebuilding any nuclear plant pending a review of costs and alterna- tives, while shutting down the Pickering Nuclear Pow- er Station when its operat- ing licence expires this Au- gust. Looking to the long term, the Greens would set a target and develop a plan for Ontario to be powered with 100 per cent renewable energy. Working with local com- munities, the party would provide incentives for small, renewable energy projects such as wind and solar, to reduce demand. In a similar vein, renew- able energy projects initiat- ed by non-profit groups and co-operatives would be pro- vided with expertise and ze- ro-interest loans. The party plans to im- port 'green' hydro from neighbouring provinces, noting Hydro Quebec has offered to sell power to On- tario at less than a third of the price that Ontario Pow- er Generation would charge for nuclear power. Homeowners, renters and businesses would re- ceive incentives to convert natural gas, electric, oil, and propane heating sys- tems to more efficient, af- fordable and low-carbon sources such as geothermal and heat pumps. NDP The NDP promises to cut hydro bills by about 30 per cent with a plan that in- cludes reversing the sell-off of Hydro One and making permanent changes to the system for a long-term fix. No rate increase would be required to finance the return of Hydro One to pub- lic ownership, according to the party. The NDP says its plan pays off the return of Hydro One quickly and that, with- in a decade, the province would have $1.6 billion more from dividends and pay- ments to invest in hospitals, schools and Ontarians. Priorities include re-es- tablishing independent and public oversight of Hydro One, and creating an expert advisory panel to provide the most responsible path toward public ownership of power and power genera- tion. Rural and urban Ontari- ans would pay the same de- livery costs under the plan, while mandatory time-of- use pricing would be ended. Other measures include negotiating with Ottawa to remove the federal govern- ment's five per cent portion from hydro bills. The NDP would also ad- dress what it says is the oversupply of electricity, in which Ontarians pay for ad- ditional, and unnecessary power. Affordable, renewable electricity would be impor- ted as needed, while 'bad' contracts signed by previ- ous governments would be cancelled, renegotiated or not renewed. Any move to sell Hydro One in future would require permission of the public through a referendum. Political parties outline hydro plans FRANK MATYS fmatys@simcoe.com Hydro One is facing heat for spending $9 million and proposing to spend an additional $6 million to redesign customers' bills. Canadian Press file photo