MPP Todd Smith named opposition Energy Critic

Todd Smith

Prince Edward-Hastings MPP Todd Smith has been named Energy Critic for the Official Opposition at Queen’s Park. He served as the Hydro One Sale critic in the shadow cabinet since 2015.

With the appointment, by Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown, Smith will be responsible for the PC Caucus response to one of the government’s largest and most complicated ministries.

“It feels like I’ve been dealing with electricity concerns since before I was elected.” Smith said in a statement today. “Across the province, electricity consumers have seen their rates sky-rocket… We have gone from having the most affordable electricity in North America, to one of the most expensive jurisdictions because of this government’s failed energy experiments.”

In addition to electricity rates, the role of Energy Critic makes Smith responsible for critiquing other elements of the Liberal government’s energy policy including recent revelations that the government is paying Natural Gas generators not to produce power.

“The amount of times that this government has asked ratepayers to pay for power that was never produced is unprecedented,” Smith said. “This government has actually set up a system where we pay for power whether we need it or not.”

Returning to hydro rates, Smith said the problem goes well beyond homes. The electricity crisis is starting to effect community institutions.

“We’ve seen hockey and curling rinks increase costs for ice time.” Smith added. “We’ve seen electricity rates put a crunch on board of education and hospital budgets across the province. There isn’t one part of your life the electricity crisis hasn’t made more expensive.”