More Energy Idiocy from the Wynne Government

[Boges]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-to-unveil-hydro-rebates-for-low-income-households-1.3009970

The provincial government is unveiling a plan to give hydro rebates to low-income households.

Ontario Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli will announce the initiative Thursday morning in Toronto.

Ineligible households will see their bills rise slightly – less than one dollar a month – to fund the program.

Sources close to the program say there will be a sliding scale of rebates, depending on household income and family size, CBC's Mike Crawley reports.

For example, a family of four with a household income of $28,000 could have $38 per month knocked off their bill.

Debt retirement charge axed

The initiative is a follow-up to a promise made last April that the Liberal government would bring in such a plan. The changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2016, along with the removal of the so-called "debt retirement charge."

For a decade, Ontario Hydro consumers have been paying off billions of dollars in long-leftover debt from the old Ontario Hydro utility. Next January, those payments will stop – an amount that averages $6 per month.

Only government would try to help lower income people by first raising the bills of everyone, THEN providing a rebate for the small number of people that are low income but pay for hydro.

I'm curious what their household threshold is? The same people that get the HST rebate cheques? That would make too much sense though, they'll probably create a new level of government to doll out these rebates.

This comes as that idiotic rebate that McGuinty brought in the help minimize outrage 5 years ago expires next year.

I praise Jebus that I'm renting now and I don't really have to pay attention to this crap.

But GAWD! this government is dumb.

[The_Squid]

Rebates for low income households sounds like a good idea..,.

[Boges]

Rebates for low income households sounds like a good idea..,.

Why not just provide those rebates on the front end? Or a general rebate that doesn't come with the additional hike for everyone. Even these low income households are going to have to pay the increased expense. They'll just get a rebate similar to the HST rebate people get. How about just increase that? Or perhaps lower taxes to the lowest income people?

So many more efficient ways to provide relief than the ways it's being done. This is just a way to grow government.

[Argus]

Rebates for low income households sounds like a good idea..,.

It's basically a tax hike on everyone else in order to increase welfare. By doing it this way they get to claim there's no tax hike.

[bush_cheney2004]

The voters have spoken...."hose me some more!"

I hope GM and other automakers take notice...and move their plants out of Ontariowe.

That will free up more hydro for the poor people.

[overthere]

I praise Jebus that I'm renting now and I don't really have to pay attention to this crap.

Jebus won't save you from a rent hike if your landlord has to pay more for hydro. And he won't care about your income, it's his outgo that is on his mind..

This just in: there is no free lunch.

[Bob Macadoo]

Why not just provide those rebates on the front end? Or a general rebate that doesn't come with the additional hike for everyone. Even these low income households are going to have to pay the increased expense. They'll just get a rebate similar to the HST rebate people get. How about just increase that? Or perhaps lower taxes to the lowest income people?

So many more efficient ways to provide relief than the ways it's being done. This is just a way to grow government.

It paves the way for future increases......just like gasoline does. We in this province have not paid the freight on the cost of electricity. This scheme is a backdoor to start bringing the sanity. Problem is there would be a revolt by the poverty societies.....keep the quiet while price goes up. Schemingly beautiful.

[Ash74]

It paves the way for future increases......just like gasoline does. We in this province have not paid the freight on the cost of electricity. This scheme is a backdoor to start bringing the sanity. Problem is there would be a revolt by the poverty societies.....keep the quiet while price goes up. Schemingly beautiful.

And now we pay the highest in North America.

The people of Ontario are paying more than enough for the mistakes of this government and we will just keep on paying after they are gone.

Tell me how you think a family earning $50,000 or more a year is not suffering from the price of hydro?

I know to Bob(timmie) Chiarelli it is just another large coffee a week but we are being nickle and dime to death between the muggings that are the tax hikes.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Ash74

[Bob Macadoo]

And now we pay the highest in North America.

The people of Ontario are paying more than enough for the mistakes of this government and we will just keep on paying after they are gone.

I hear this all the time.....but my quick search found nada....I did find this though;

http://www.torontohydro.com/sites/electricsystem/GridInvestment/RisingRates/Pages/YourElectricityDollar.aspx

where it says we're looking up at Alberta.......as well as big 'merican cities. That was 2013 so please cite yor case for today's situation.

I wish that politicians could come out and say.....shit costs more and we need to replace stuff so guess what people.....more money. They don't though they slink and hide and dodge and then something if laid out logically could be consumed and processed turns into just one big slimy mess.

[Ash74]

https://www.fraserinstitute.org/uploadedFiles/fraser-ca/Content/research-news/research/publications/environmental-and-economic-consequences-ontarios-green-energy-act.pdf

Now before you claim bias I think the Toronto hydro i more than a little blinded by its agenda.

So the Ontario Liberals had to fix the hydro system. Yeah I agree they did. But how they did it is my point.

Smart meters well over budget.

Energy minister blaming the investigators that are more qualified than him to run it.

The gas plants that had to be built to cover the green energy act because it does not generate power when needed most.

Gas plants....you know......not being built to pay for some seats

Selling power at a loss to our neighbors

Paying produces of green energy to not produce energy at certain times.

Yes the debt charge has been cut finally

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/why-were-still-paying-the-hydro-debt-retirement-charge

Your right, Ontario power structure was a mess and had to be cleaned up. But by making bigger messes was not the answer