HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1997-11-19, Page 7Ontario daro•a.�l b� thr
crown -owned cQrgoration
by Bev Fry
• Ontario Hydro will be
separated. into three
crown -owned companies
by the year 2000.
Recently in• Toronto,
Energy Minister. Jim
Wilson' said "We are flip-
ping the switeh ona more
competitive and respon-
sive electricity system and
creating new opportunities ..
for the people of Ontario."
He said the government
..pian to- end Ontario-,
Hydro's 91: year-old
monopoly of the
province's electricity. busi-
ness will mean cheaper "
• rates for consumers.
"it is simply not accept-
able that Hydro's business
pert'c rmance has . faltered
so significantly over the
past decade, that .' power.
costs have increased by 30 ..
per cent in the early. 1990s,
and Hydro's debt. exceeds.
$30 billion." • .
The Ontario Electric
Generation Corp: will be
the company , that
ates•• electricity..: The
Ontario Electric ;Services
• Corp. - 'will. take ' over 'th'e
transmission of electricity; .•.
and a third , company; a
non-profit regulator, will
act; as the- manager of the
Market. system, ensuring`
that competition develops
quickly.'' °
Under: ' the.. .proposed
reforni, 1'eustorners . wtl'1. Abe
• able to choose among
electrical suppliers sirnil`ar
to'the way telephone lines
and, ,gas' pipelines: became •
co•rrimon• . carriers :' when`
those industries . were,
opened to 'competition.;
Wilson:said,the govern
rxient was pressed to
ref`oi the utility because
Ontario electricity. prices
are the tlird'highest in
Canada. Only Nova Scotia.
and Prince Edward island
have higher power prices.
'
John Murphy was
pleased with the minister's'
proposal.
Presidentof the Power
Workers' Union, which
represents 70 per cent of
the Ontario Hydro work
force, Murphy : said the.
white paper on . electricity
reform was "a' positive
-• Murphy plersed-
wholesale
privatization stopped
document;' that appears -too-
be "consistent with every
reform. 'called for by the
PWU during the last two
years.
'1•' m especially .pleased
we ' have . • stopped the
wholesale privatization of
Ontario Hydro:"
However,
However, ,.he said the
union will be closely "mon
itoring thie development of
the. many . reform details
• yet t0, be'worked•out
Murphy said all Ontario
Hydro generation being
kept together' under one
entity •is •good news, for
Hydro's competitive posi-
tion:in the .growing energy
business. '
..He added that transmis-
sion,- distribution, Ontario
'hydro': international and
Ontario -Hydro
Technologies being kept
together as the 'Ontario
Electric Services Corp.was
good news,:
"The government
rejected thee` Macdonald
•
Cation
n it C
►0 truce
;c ool
•Comrnitte.e's recbtnmen-
dation' to end:: the operation
at ch- tarso Flydro;retail .an'dd.
distribute its; assets and
customers to Municipal
;electric utilities There was
nu pinetical' reason to kill
Ontario, Hydro retail and
the government has recog-
nized this.." -
However, theSociety,
representing 5,500 engi-
neers, scientists and other
professionals, says the
reforms. are "disastrously
shortsighted."
• Responding to recom-
mendations to end Hydro's
monopoly by breaking up
the utility, John . Wilson;
Society presidentsaid,
"dismembering Ontario
Hydro to introduce camper
tition is'th.e wrong thing to
do.
' '-`TO corinpete--"success•--,
fully in the ' North
American 'energy market,
Hydro must remain intact
and be given`ti:me to return
its nuclear ' program, to •
• excellence before the 'gov-'
ernment lets the wolves in
at. Ontario's door's
Wilson said the.electric
ity market no longer stops
at. Ontario's borders. Major
• competitors., .like mega -
companies Enron from the
United. States and Hydro
Quebe,, are staying intact
and expanding. .
"With Ontario Hydro
lying in piece's; billions of
dollars.. will flow Out of
Ontario. intothe pockets'of •
our. ::competition and very.•
little will trickle into.' the
province.'; • •
Wilson said home•own.
ers,. remote customers :and
small businesses will ;bear
▪ the , btunt •of ,rising rates,
worsening ;'government,
- deficits •'and'''sev.ere :job
lose,
``A• study' conducted, by
the' Institute of Policy.•
Analysts • shows that it
O'ritarla ends, up „importing
even 20`.: per . cent .of its
electri:ci'ty; the; economic
consequences •will be data-'• ;
str'ophi.c,
'byePat Halpin
Education.. ;Nli�istcr
David Johnson; has a per-:
sona•1 'invitation to visit
ctassresims 'in. Bruce
County. . •, '
Chair Carrilyn Day said.
the.: cdUeational• issues,
ccar'nmittee invi.fed Johnson •
to take :a Fiat hand Elowk lit
'early literacy pi lot• projects:
being run `in;severa'l. 8rttce
County elementary
schools. •
," i'rn :sore he will accept'
.q•uickly so h,e can have ,
some. positive interaction~
'`
with the educational cc$rti
munity. Dray quipped.
18", 24", 30"
SATELLITE DISHES
L.ueknow Sentinel, Wednesday, November 19, 1997 — Page 7
IMPORTANT DATE!
Santa's visiting the
id Cameron's Store
Corner of Hwy 21 & the 8th Conc.,
Pine River, Ont,
Nov. 22
10 a.m. to 4 p.m,
• Group 'of talented crafters
with a variety of wonderful
creations are getting
ogether to help you get that
• hristmas shopping started.
There will be refreshments as well!
o drop by and see all the goodies
You'll be glad you did!!!
BOO m :111/1111111,11111111.1101111111M0•10 aim O
101116110111:11
THEATRE
KINCARDINE
396-3250,
Nov..21 .8E22 'AT 7 &-9.10
Nov. 23 at. 8 • .
y
AA
Nov; 24 to 27 at 8 p.m.
ALL SEATS 54.25 TUESDAYS
Immo."N. .. .r.....'Up!
Cjfp; &• S ve c upo i
STAR CHOICE & EXPRESS VU •
%C�in'adi A Systans) ;
Starting at...
rpt. _-44,,,` , ,
' •ite.#4,, feete044 . fi ei.
Weaiso,carry ECHO STAR, SONY, HITACHI eF HUGHES:•
•.: Starting at $299b'pia money 'Own OAC,)
• :CALL: k1:.ENTERPRISES
1800238.2261 `GRAND BEND 238.2261
yarn colour :tiegatives.
C,41 colour negatives onlyt
Sizes: 110,126r •Disc. and Pull Frame 35mm. ,
Excluding Panoramic 35 & Advanced "hoto System
FROM THE CREATOR OF `.'SCRFAM„E.
I"SCARIERTHAN *SCREAM'!"
I KNOW
SHAT YOU' Dit)
LAST ,SUMMER
SRI' - THURS; NOV. 21 2?.'
FRi. 7& 9 PMVM . 1Y' C-"
SAT - 9 pm oNI,Y Illinutsta
SUN - TFItJRS. aRM: 14�cc�uuriEddr
ot1e F'"IIE Ar ?4AA
THE EDGE,:
.,ENDS'rffUF,SDAY
REE MATINEES;
SAT NOV. 2'2 • '
& 3 ;air
SPONSORED EY ..
GODER10H KINSMEN
LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1.800-265-3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO
.4
Limit 1. 'couponper order.
Coupon must accompany order
Not to Le used;in conjunction with any other
speclai.'•
ValidNovember 17 - 29,1997,,
^ Ea akin ...- ,i., t1.. fir- -,r. it..mi. Nil.;r.i.il .: midi kook, mew ru.,..E• IN,
L ONO. /
ENTRAL PHARMACY
LUCKNOW.,
• -528M3,;004`