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Maria Babbage, The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, April 23, 2014 12:05PM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, April 23, 2014 7:25PM EDT

TORONTO -- Residential consumers will still see their hydro bills go up, even though the governing Liberals are planning to remove the controversial debt retirement charge from their monthly statements in 2016.

The Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, which takes 10 per cent off hydro bills, will also expire at the same time. The majority of ratepayers will also be expected to bankroll a proposed program that would offset energy costs for lower-income families.

According to the government, a typical family consuming about 800 kilowatt hours per month would save about $75.60 a year after taxes once the debt retirement charge is removed on Jan. 1, 2016.

But those savings would be cancelled out by the loss of an $180 annual rebate from the clean energy benefit, which was introduced in 2012.

However, the Liberals are promising a support program for famillies with an income of up to $40,000 that would provide about the same savings as the clean energy benefit after it expires.

An eligible family could save on average $250 a year when combined with the removal of the DRC, Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli said Wednesday.

"We fully understand the electricity price pressures facing families, and that's why we're taking these steps," he said.

"This is real rate relief for those who need it most."

The program will add about 90 cents on the average monthly bill of the rest of the ratepayers, Chiarelli said.

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Liberals confirm end to debt retirement charge on hydro bills

TORONTO - Residential consumers will still see their hydro bills go up, even though the governing Liberals are planning to remove the controversial debt retirement charge from their monthly statements in 2016.

The Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, which takes 10 per cent off hydro bills, will also expire at the same time. The majority of ratepayers will also be expected to bankroll a proposed program that would offset energy costs for lower-income families.

According to the government, a typical family consuming about 800 kilowatt hours per month would save about $75.60 a year after taxes once the debt retirement charge is removed on Jan. 1, 2016.

But those savings would be cancelled out by the loss of an $180 annual rebate from the clean energy benefit, which was introduced in 2012.

However, the Liberals are promising a support program for famillies with an income of up to $40,000 that would provide about the same savings as the clean energy benefit after it expires.

An eligible family could save on average $250 a year when combined with the removal of the DRC, Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli said Wednesday.

"We fully understand the electricity price pressures facing families, and that's why we're taking these steps," he said.

"This is real rate relief for those who need it most."

The program will add about 90 cents on the average monthly bill of the rest of the ratepayers, Chiarelli said.

"We feel that this is a very modest tradeoff to be made in order to accommodate those who are in significant need," he added.

Read this article:
Liberals trying to tackle high hydro bills

Maria Babbage, The Canadian Press Published Wednesday, April 23, 2014 12:05PM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, April 23, 2014 7:25PM EDT

TORONTO -- Residential consumers will still see their hydro bills go up, even though the governing Liberals are planning to remove the controversial debt retirement charge from their monthly statements in 2016.

The Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, which takes 10 per cent off hydro bills, will also expire at the same time. The majority of ratepayers will also be expected to bankroll a proposed program that would offset energy costs for lower-income families.

According to the government, a typical family consuming about 800 kilowatt hours per month would save about $75.60 a year after taxes once the debt retirement charge is removed on Jan. 1, 2016.

But those savings would be cancelled out by the loss of an $180 annual rebate from the clean energy benefit, which was introduced in 2012.

However, the Liberals are promising a support program for famillies with an income of up to $40,000 that would provide about the same savings as the clean energy benefit after it expires.

An eligible family could save on average $250 a year when combined with the removal of the DRC, Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli said Wednesday.

"We fully understand the electricity price pressures facing families, and that's why we're taking these steps," he said.

"This is real rate relief for those who need it most."

The program will add about 90 cents on the average monthly bill of the rest of the ratepayers, Chiarelli said.

Read this article:
Liberals expected to announce end to debt retirement charge on hydro bills

Jonathan Alter: When Will Liberals Call For More Boycotts Of #39;Racist #39; Rush Limbaugh?
Former Newsweek editor Jonathan Alter appeared on the Ed Show, Tuesday, to lobby for more boycotts of the "racist" Rush Limbaugh. The talk show host #39;s crime,...

By: yazchat

Original post:
Jonathan Alter: When Will Liberals Call For More Boycotts Of 'Racist' Rush Limbaugh? - Video

Star photo by Geraldine Brophy

About 75 people attended a public meeting on the proposed new regional hospital in Corner Brook Tuesday put off by Liberal Opposition members and held at the Greenwood Inn and Suites.

A commitment from the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador to put a radiation unit in the new hospital in Corner Brook was met with a loud round of applause Tuesday night.

About 75 people, many of them Liberal supporters, attended a meeting at the Greenwood Inn and Suites hosted by the Opposition Caucus members on the proposed new hospital.

After taking those gathered through the results of a study conducted by the party over the last three months Liberal Leader Dwight Ball said, I needed to be sure before I came back to the people in this room that we came back with evidence.

Ball was referring to a statement he made during a January meeting at the hotel held by the West Coast Health Care Action Committee. During that event, Ball committed to putting a PET scanner in the new hospital if the Liberals form the next government, but couldnt say the same on the radiation unit until the party took a closer look at the issue.

We did our research, weve taken the time to do it, he said. The evidence is there to support it and, as the official Opposition, were committed to delivering radiation services to Western Memorial Hospital.

Before getting to that conclusion Ball went through the results of the study, which countered all of the PC governments reasons for saying no to putting the service on the west coast.

From the unproven model of a single unit, to the need to be located at a tertiary care centre, the challenges of recruitment and retention and finally the numbers, Ball presented information that showed none of those reasons should prevent a unit from being located here.

If we were here making this decision on emotion well all of us in the room, all of us in the province, would do this, said Ball following the meeting. But you have to base it on evidence and thats what weve been able to do over the last three months.

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Liberals commit to putting a radiation unit in new hospital