Ontario Political Opposition Grows To Power Deregulation

KITCHENER -- Ontario New Democrats are targeting Kitchener in their campaign to preserve public power at cost.

The city is a birthplace of Ontario Hydro, providing NDP leader Howard Hampton with a backdrop to attack for-profit electricity as a windfall for greedy corporations and a disaster for hapless consumers.

''We do not want to be held hostage by a continental energy market,'' Hampton said recently. ''Electricity is just as essential as oxygen.''

Hampton staged his attack at the former public utilities building across from Kitchener City Hall - a building graced with a plaque honouring Baden native Sir Adam Beck as a founder of Ontario Hydro.

The Progressive Conservative government is deregulating Ontario's public electricity system, claiming profit-seeking utilities will compete to keep a lid on rates.

New Democrats point out that deregulation has led to skyrocketing rates in California and Alberta and they predict the same here.

The government of Premier Mike Harris has delayed opening the competitive electricity market pending further review.

Hampton contends that Waterloo Region is at risk from provincial policy because its high-tech industry needs a stable power supply.

In Waterloo Region, deregulation has allowed council-owned utilities to raise hydro rates by 10 to 17 per cent over three years to generate new provincial taxes and municipal profits.

Three city councils will reap almost $18 million in electricity profits this year, with 90 per cent of the profits spent by Kitchener council.

Hampton would prefer that local councils not have these hydro profits to spend. ''We think power should be at cost,'' he said.

But he does not blame councillors, saying their utilities are behaving as required by the province.

''The reality is municipal councils are just doing what the legislation orders them to do,'' he said.

The NDP has launched radio ads in Kitchener and three other cities attacking provincial policy.

Source: Toronto Star