Progressive Conservative Hydro One Critic Todd Smith is calling on Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to stop the further sell off of the electrical utility in this Thursday’s provincial budget.
During question period today the Hastings Prince Edward member says more than 80% of Ontarians oppose the sale.
Smith pointed to voters in the Whitby-Oshawa riding and local business owners who are having trouble paying their Hydro bills.
Wynne fired back saying more residents in Whitby-Oshawa are more concerned with better access to transit and solid infrastructure.
Smith shared a story about how a local business owner was billed $27,000 for a vacant LCBO building.
Minister of Energy Bob Chiarelli told the legislature the province still owns 84% of Hydro One. He says $5 billion of the sale will go to reduce provincial debt and another $4 billion to infrastructure, calling it very smart fiscal management.
In November 2015, the sale of just over 81 million shares was the first step in the government’s plan to gradually part ways with 60% of the electrical utility.
