I hear that electricity costs are going up. I hear that electricity costs are going up. Ontario electricity customers have not seen an increase in their electricity rates for eight years. This rate freeze was a transitional mechanism to give customers assurance of affordable rates during the time when the legislation and regulations for the new competitive market were being developed.
Municipalities can earn profits by finding efficiencies in their operations.
He also directed the Board to have municipalities justify why they feel they need to raise electricity rates, before the Board approves any local rate applications. The proposed legislation would protect electricity customers by preventing municipalities from taking windfall profits out of their local electrical utilities and using these profits to justify rate hikes. The Ontario Energy Board's decision that municipalities had to phase in any approved rate increases over three years ensured that consumers would come first when municipalities considered rate increases. The safety and reliability of our electricity system will not change in a competitive market. The transmission and distribution of electricity will continue to be provided by regulated utilities, regardless of whether you change suppliers or not.