Ontario Premier Doug Ford attends Question Period at the Ontario Legislature, ahead of the fall Economic Statement, in Toronto on Nov. 6, 2019.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Ontario spent $231-million last year to tear up more than 750 renewable energy contracts.
Associate Energy Minister Bill Walker defended the cost today, blaming the previous Liberal government for signing the deals while the province had an oversupply of electricity.
The Progressive Conservative government cancelled the contracts last July, just weeks after winning the provincial election.
The government said the cancellations would save ratepayers $790-million – a figure industry officials have disputed.
At the time, the government also said it would introduce legislation that would protect hydro consumers from any costs incurred from the cancellation.
Mr. Walker says today provincial taxpayers will foot the bill for the cancelled contracts, not hydro customers.
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