Public meetings about Kathleen Wynne’s plan to sell-off Hydro One have been happening for almost a year now, yet they continue to fill up to capacity. These packed rooms are evidence of the overwhelming opposition to the Liberals’ plan to privatize this public asset.The room overflowed at a Jane Street Hub meeting in early March. Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath and MPP Jagmeet Singh listened and took note of the community’s concerns.One resident voiced her frustration with the already high cost of hydro, and her worry that it would go up even more if the Liberal plan moves forward. She explained that she only cooks on Sunday to take advantage of off-peak pricing, but her hydro bill is still too high.The truth about the many downfalls of selling Hydro One has been talked about for months now.Privatizing Hydro One will increase rates. Research on public vs. privately owned utilities has shown that customers of public firms pay lower prices for services (source: keephydropublic.ca). The less public ownership we have, the less control we’ll have and the less we’ll be able to turn to the Ontario Energy Board to stop rate increases.The loss of ownership also means the loss of revenue. Averaging $913 million in revenue per year since 2000, Hydro One is a reliable revenue source that we can’t afford to lose.Over 80 per cent of Ontario voters oppose the sale of Hydro One and as of December 2015, 194 of Ontario’s municipalities took an official stance against the sale. It’s clear that the movement to stop the sale continues to grow.Many people believe that it’s too late; that the deal has already been made. But this isn’t true. When asked what to say to those who think it’s too late, Horwath replied “It’s never too late, never give up.”“People want to do something about it. We’re giving people a voice,” Horwath said.The Liberals haven’t provided a timeline for their plan to sell. There’s still time to contact your MPP and have your voice heard.For more information and to sign a petition against the sale of Hydro One, visit:www.youpaytheprice.cawww.keephydropublic.ca
