If the province is willing to sell its Hydro One assets to municipalities, Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara wants in on the action.
He's drafting a resolution he hopes will result in lower rates for some 25,000 Hydro One customers in Essex County. It will call for Essex County Council to buy local Hydro One assets. Council will debate it at its next meeting on May 20.
McNamara says it's not right that Hydro One customers pay up to 40% more than ELK and Essex Power customers, sometimes located across the street from each other. "I'm tired of explaining to my residents why some residents in our community pay 40% higher distribution rates than others and basically, we can't do anything about it."
Failing a sale, McNamara's motion will call for the Liberal government to lower rates for those customers. "You can have a relative across the street paying 40% more than one that's in a locally-held distribution company." He says higher electricity rates are driving away investment in the region.
Ottawa city council has voted in favour of a similar resolution.
