Premier Wynne,
I am writing you regarding my $800 utility bill for August. I make a good living, so I’m not eligible for any rebate but I don’t mind paying my fair share. The keyword here is “fair”.
I am concerned about the rate at which these essentials are increasing. I looked up the records for the cost of electricity on the Ontario government website and the cost of water/sewer from the town of Newmarket and both show massive increases since the Liberal party has been in power.
If you look at the blended electricity rates from Nov 2008 to October 2016 you will see an average increase of 10.95% per year. How does the government justify such an increase year after year? Is it because we have to pay off the gas plant fiasco left by your predecessor?
Water per cubic metre has increased from $1.78 in 2007 to $3.47 this year. That is in increase of 10.55% per year. In the meantime the government is charging companies like Nestle just $3.71 for every million litres of water, after they pay a permit fee. These charges cover less than 2% of the water management costs. Why are we subsidizing these corporations?
This is coupled with the Ontario government selling off profitable public assets (Hydro One) while helping other corporations maintain a strangle hold on our markets (Beer Store) make me question your governments’ commitment to future Ontarians.
You and I both know that the majority of the public thinks private sector corporations can do a better job than the government, despite data that shows otherwise. And we both know that privatization is a good political move, but it is a poor choice for future generations. If we look at the cost of basic necessities across any sector that was privatized starting with the Mike Harris government we see increases that are leaps above inflation.
Politicians are always worried about the next election, nowhere is that more obvious than the GTA. The reason we have transit issues is because no one wants to be ‘that guy’ commit to collecting and spending tax dollars. However if Toronto had committed 20 years ago to adding just one kilometre of subway per year, and the decision was instead around where to best put that kilometre imagine what a great system we would have today.
There is a Greek proverb, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” I would like you to consider what affect your decisions will have on our province in the future.
Regards,
Dave Hamel