NDP BC Hydro critic Adrian Dix has spoken out about the higher than normal electricity rates facing tons of provincial residents this winter.
BC Hydro announced a Winter Payment Plan which gives customers the choice to spread payments out until March 31st.
Adrian Dix says while the recent announcement was appropriate, it still doesn’t fix the root of the problem.
“Anything that gives hydro customers a break is a good thing but people should remember is that the reason we have a problem is because massive Liberal increases are making life less affordable after Premier Clark said she would hold the line on Hydro rate increases. When you combine what is effectively a hidden tax with a colder winter a lot of people will have problems and they were having issues already with rate increases that were so dramatically high.”
Dix also believes its not by choice lots of people are refusing to turn up the heat. “It has been a real struggle to pay your hydro bill for a long time and you see BC Hydro’s consumption which has forced people to conserve not because they want but because they cannot afford to pay BC Hydro rates.”
We’ve seen record setting consumption levels so far this winter.
A decade long demand record was broken last week.