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Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath was in Timmins Friday to visit Feldman Timber Co. to discuss the impact of hydro rates on local businesses and to discuss the proposed sell-off of Hydro One by the Ontario Liberal government.

“Families in Northern Ontario are already struggling to pay some of the highest electricity bills in Canada,” said Horwath. “Selling-off Hydro One will mean ever higher electricity rates for people and for businesses. Northerners are telling me very clearly that they simply can’t afford it.”

High hydro rates are forcing businesses, like Feldman’s, to make hard decisions between keeping the lights
on and hiring and maintaining staff. “High hydro rates are making it hard for Ontario businesses to succeed,” Horwath said. “Driving rates upeven further by selling-off Hydro One will mean even less competitive rates for business and industry. New Democrats will keep standing up for Northern families and we’re going to keep fighting for an affordable and public hydro system.”

Horwath has been hearing from families and businesses across the province about their concerns that selling-off Hydro One will mean even higher bills and less accountability.

The Liberal government’s own polling shows that 3 out of 4 Ontarians don’t want hydro to be sold.

“New Democrats have heard Ontarians loud and clear. Selling-off Hydro One is just plain wrong. It’s bad for families, it’s bad for business, it’s bad for Timmins and it’s bad for our province,” said Horwath.

Owner of Feldman Timber, Lorne Feldman says and increase in rates means less growth for the company.

“It’s very difficult to make investments as far as hiring people and making contributions to the community when you’re facing double digits increases in a hydro bill comprising of most of your expenses.”

The NDP leader added, Premier Kathleen Wynne is the only premier in the history of the province unable to figure out how to keep Hydro One public and have money for roads and transit.

“Wynne says somehow, this $4 billion from the privatization of Hydro One is going to pay for $130 billion of promises she’s made for transit and infrastructure improvements.  That $4 billion is only three per cent of her promises for infrastructure and transit.”