ACT NOW: Let your MPP know you support keeping Hydro One public

With a decision imminent on Hydro One privatization, The Society is asking all members to take a moment at this critical time to e-mail their MPP and voice their opposition to the Premier’s Advisory Council recommendations. The Society makes this easy to do with an online system that will find your MPP and send the e-mail with just a couple of clicks. Send your e-mail now by clicking here.

If you prefer to send an e-mail on your own, here is a suggested e-mail you can use or customize as you see fit:

Dear MPP,

I am a member of The Society of United Professionals and I am writing to express my concern about the Ontario government’s proposed privatization of Ontario’s local, publicly-operated electricity utilities.

I realize privatizing local utilities, including Hydro One, will generate revenues for the province, but I have seen no evidence there will be benefits for Ontario residents.

Private, for-profit ownership of hydro will mean higher rates, lower dependability, and an end to public control over this vital function. In addition, many municipalities will lose an important source of revenue to fund local programs.

The government has made other critical energy sector decisions in the past, including the wind energy deal with the multinational Samsung, and the decision to cancel construction of two gas-fired generating stations. Both these decisions were reached in haste, and without public input. Both have cost Ontario residents billions that could have been better used to fund transportation infrastructure, requiring no sale of valuable public assets to the private sector.

I urge you to take my concerns, and the concerns of my neighbours, to the Premier and the Minister of Finance. No one-time sell-off is worth the lasting damage privatization of public utilities will cause my community, and our province.

Before any decision is made to privatize any more of Ontario’s publically owned hydro system, the government must undertake a public, transparent process that provides all Ontario residents an opportunity to express their views.