Wayne Gates, Niagara Falls NDP member of Ontario’s provincial parliament.
News from the Office of the Ontario New Democratic Party
Queen’s Park – This April 2nd Wayne Gates, Niagara Falls MPP and the NDP’s Jobs, Small Business and Training Critic, stood up for families being hit with skyrocketing gas bills and demanded government fix badly flawed rules that allowed a 40 per cent increase in natural gas bills to be rammed through.
“Families cannot afford a 40 per cent increase in their natural gas bills. An extra bill for $400 for gas will take a big bite out of already tight household budgets,” Gates said.
“New Democrats are calling on the government to stop unfair increases like this being rammed through by gas companies,” he added.
The Ontario Energy Board recently approved a 40 per cent increase in natural gas prices, despite appeals from consumer organizations for special sessions in light of the scale of the increase to examine in detail whether the company acted responsibly in its storage and spot market purchase practices.
“Serious unanswered questions were raised by consumer groups at the Ontario Energy Board hearings looking into a 40 per cent increase in natural gas prices, but their request for these special sessions were denied by the Ontario Energy Board. We are insisting that whenever there is an increase of this size on the table, there be rules to stop it getting rammed through” Gates said.
“Can this government explain why their agency that is supposed to protect Ontario families, seniors and businesses, refused to take a serious look at this unprecedented 40 per cent rate hike application?” Gates asked. “And why is this government content to stand on the sidelines and allow this outrageous increase without any serious examination of whether it’s warranted or not?”
(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)
Niagara At Large 
With the HST included, the inflation rate of this increase is 45.2%. Yesterday the Post Office tacked on 35%. Exactly how much do the so-called powers that be think Joe or Jane Public can stand?
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According to the Sunshine list of “appointed” chairpersons” the chair or CEO of the Ontario Energy Board remuneration is in the neighborhood of over $400,000 and this has so called salary is a sick scenario especially when the “Rainy Day” list is in the range of $20,000 or less. The many high rollers on the Sunshine List get flustered when one questions their so called entitlements but one never sees a Rainy Day List published or even mention in the context of life and living as every thing from Taxes to Hearing fuel, to electric lights to food, Rent and all the necessities of life keep sky rocketing…
New constables in the NRP start at $80,000 per year plus overtime and when questioned the cry is “ALWAYS” the life risk. Yet In the past years we have seen 158 of our finest young people, women and men come home in body bags from Afghanistan and thousands crippled for life by injuries and stress related syndrome and their starting salaries are in the range of $40,000 and NO OVERTIME. Something is wrong here especially when we hear of police people being suspended with pay for years on end.
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This country is becoming communist. When is our government going to do it’s job and start managing laws and restrictions to help Canada’s people and economy as opposed to patting the big corporations on the bum and allowing them to run this country.
There is a ceiling and with this 40% increase, I think it just came crashing down. When is enough, enough? They are making the people of this province pay for every single penny lost at their own fault. Job loss, increased bills coming from every angle in our lives, and to not be able to count on a government that will question or fight for the people their supposed to represent? … they sit on their wonderfully padded chairs, with their well funded salaries not worrying about increases because essentially it does not affect them.. here is a suggestion, why don’t we find cost savings by cutting THEIR jobs, and cutting THEIR salaries.. at that point maybe they will get the perspective of how the rest of the country feels and lives.
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With the 40 % increase in natural gas prices it is forcing Senior’s out of their houses with the added costs of Hydro, property taxes increasing, Its not good. Who would want to start a business here, go through the small towns and look at the empty shops! All of us are taxed a little too much We love this country and want it to prosper without wreaking the environment. I believe the costs increases 20% to 40% for utility bills should be explained. Example we get our hydro from Quebec. How can we inspire growth ,not with high taxes, and high utility bills. Anyways talk is cheap. Jeff
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The increase is not high enough, when considered from the position of what matters most. Wasteful energy consumption resulting in climate change is the real crime. We can’t have both low energy costs and any motivation to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
Fat salaries, seniors suffering, mismanagement are all legitimate questions, but not THE question. How will we survive if the cost of climate change is continually postponed.
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Dick Halverson, your heart is in the right place, I too am an environmental advocate and I agree that we should ALL REDUCE ALL of our consumptions as much as possible (gasoline, electricity, natural gas, fresh water, etc.) however for the most part the Niagara region residents are not doing a majority of the wasting of these commodities as major brand name corporations are responsible for using the brunt of it. Also our consuption rates may decrese marginly because of the rate increase however the expensive delivery and services charges and hst which enbridge being a monopoly that they are the only gas company in the area, can charge what seems unfair and unquestioned rates. Think about how many residents and business’ in the area use gas and multiply by $75 avrg. service/delivery rates for just one month, whatever the amount I think we can all agree that they are making ALOT of $$$$$$. I feel our government should be fair in all matters and ask public oppinions on all matters as a community so that we may all grow together instead of falling apart. 🙂 I think if a greater number of the region refused to pay their bills maybe the companies would listen but it would probably involve living without hydro or gas for a couple months and I think we are all to comfortable to be up for the challenge! So lets just keep complaining and be greatful we have hydro/gas/water/cable/etc. in the first place, hopefuly we can afford to keep it!
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