Minister Denies Cut To Big Industry’s Hydro Rates Will Mean Hike For Homeowners

The Ontario government says consumers won’t pay more as a result of a rate cut for big industrial users.

A report in the Toronto Star said homeowners could pay between $18 and $48 more annually after Premier Dalton McGuinty’s cabinet extended time-of-use pricing to Ford, Imperial Oil and 40 other major companies.

But Energy Minister Brad Duguid said those figures are false and the move will have a neutral impact on homeowners and small businesses, and bills could even decrease marginally in some cases.

He says the idea is to give the heavy users an incentive to use electricity during off-peak times, such as nights and weekends, and keep manufacturing, mining and refining jobs in the province.

Adam White of the Association of Major Power Consumers in Ontario applauded the change, saying big companies have been paying too much.


Here is a list of the companies which will now benefit from time-of-use pricing:

Abitibi-Bowater Inc.
Agrium Inc.
Air Liquide Canada Inc.
Air Products Canada Ltd.
Algoma Steel Inc.
ATC Panels
Atlas Tube ULC
Cameco Corporation
Cascades Inc.
CGC Inc.
Arcelor Dofasco Inc.
Enbridge Pipeline Inc.
Essroc Canada
Ford Motor Company of Canada
Gerdau AmeriSteel Corporation
Goldcorp Inc.
Honeywell Nylon Canada Inc.
Imperial Oil
Invista (Canada) Company
Irving Tissue
Ivaco Rolling Mills
Lafarge Canada Inc.
Marathon Pulp Inc.
Neenah Paper Inc.
NOVA Chemicals
Novelis Inc.
Omya Canada Inc.
Petro Canada
Placer Dome
Praxair Inc
Saint-Gobain Ceramics Materials Canada Inc.
Shell Canada Limited
Sifto Canada Inc.
Spruce Falls Inc.
St Marys Cement Company
Suncor Inc.
Terra International (Canada) Inc.
The Canadian Salt Company Limited
Vale Inco
Wescast Industries
Weyerhaeuser Company Limited
Xstrata Canada Corporation

Source: Association of Major Power Consumers in Ontario

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