Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne speaks during a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, March 2, 2017. (Frank Gunn\/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne speaks during a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, March 2, 2017. (Frank Gunn\/THE CANADIAN PRESS) <\/p>\n
Allison Jones <\/p>\n
TORONTOThe Canadian Press <\/p>\n
Published Monday, Mar. 06, 2017 7:19AM EST <\/p>\n
Last updated Monday, Mar. 06, 2017 12:01PM EST <\/p>\n
Ontarios budget watchdog is planning a report examining the Liberal governments plan to lower hydro bills. <\/p>\n
Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown has written to the financial accountability office, asking them to investigate the plan with a full costing analysis. <\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for the office says theyll take Browns letter under consideration, but they had already been planning to examine the hydro plan. <\/p>\n
The recently announced 17-per-cent reduction in hydro bills comes this summer thanks to a move the Liberals say is like refinancing a mortgage over a longer period of time. <\/p>\n
Premier Kathleen Wynne has acknowledged it will cost ratepayers more in the long run, but she says savings are needed now because people are struggling. <\/p>\n
She has said the extra interest costs related to the plan would amount to $25 billion over 30 years, but the Tories say theyre not clear on how the Liberals arrived at that number. <\/p>\n
Wynne defends Ontario hydro rate cut (The Canadian Press) <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Ontario budget watchdog to examine Liberals' hydro relief plan - The Globe and Mail<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne speaks during a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, March 2, 2017. (Frank Gunn\/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne speaks during a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, March 2, 2017. Continue reading