The 2010 Ontario budget had some promising news for Northern Ontario, including an industrial hydro rate, said area MPP Bill Mauro.
"Understanding we already had an energy assistance program in place already, this is going to build on it," said the Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP. "It’s going to make it richer."
The Northern Industrial Electricity program will reduce energy costs for qualified industrial customers up to 25 per cent for the next three years, putting the cost close to $20 per megawatt hour, Mauro said.
"That is extremely significant and will provide them with some long-term certainty," he said. "Our pulp and paper mills, if they are able to come out of CCAA (Companies’ Creditor Arrangement Act) protection, and those that are still operating are going to find themselves with enhanced energy relief."
Mayor Lynn Peterson said the last energy rebate program was just for northern pulp and paper companies; and admits that this new program is broader.
"Not only will it benefit the pulp and paper industry but any industry in Northern Ontario that meets the criteria," she said. "Hopefully that means it will benefit more of our existing industries and hopefully be attractive to new industry."
Peterson added the former energy rebate program was important to northern mills and they always felt it was necessary, making this extension just as vital.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the industrial energy rate is seven years too late since jobs have been disappearing in the North since 2003.
"Low and behold, now that most of the jobs are gone, the McGuinty Liberals finally deliver," she said in a press release.
Also in the budget concerning the North is a permanent Northern Ontario Energy credit that could see single people receiving a rebate of up to $130 per year and families a rebate of up to $200 for their hydro bills.
"That’s going to be significant in terms of offsetting some of the costs associated with the implementation of the Harmonized Sales Tax," Mauro said.
Peterson said every dollar northerners can save helps and she noted she was pleased with the attention given to the North in the budget.
"There were a number of items, small and bigger, that I think we can certainly work with and benefit from," she said.
The budget also included $45 million for skills-based training targeted at northerners; this was because of the excitement seen around the potential of the Ring of Fire area, said Mauro.
"We’re hopeful it will ramp up over the next few years," he said. "The people who will benefit from that are going to have the skills they need to be able to take advantage of the job opportunities that come forward from it."
Another indication of the province’s desire to see the Ring of Fire development move forward is the addition of a Ring of Fire office or co-ordinator, who will be tasked with doing the work necessary to get the project on line, Mauro added.
