Ontario’s recently announced $100-million energy savings programs discriminates against many rural homeowners says Niagara West – Glanbrook MPP Tim Hudak.
The plan, announced in a budget that increased taxes on vehicle fuel and home-heating fuels, in conjunction with Union Gas and Enbridge, will assist Ontario homeowners who use natural gas to heat their homes to conduct energy audits and complete retrofits to make their homes more energy efficient. Approximately 37,000 homeowners will qualify for assistance, although no details on how much help is being offered have been released.
While helping homeowners use less energy and lower their home heating costs is a worthy goal, Hudak wonders why the Liberals are choosing to help just 37,000 homeowners.
Specifically, Hudak says the program ignores many homeowners in his riding of Niagara West Glanbrook who heat with propane, oil, electricity and even wood.
“Many rural homeowners don’t have access to natural gas, even if they wanted to use it, and they shouldn’t be left out in the cold because of it,” says Hudak, noting the government is discriminating against rural homeowners in Niagara West – Glanbrook and across the province.
“The costs of propane and hydro have gone up immensely, and the homeowners who use propane and electricity to heat their homes need a helping hand too,” said Hudak, adding the program should be available to all taxpayers.
This program is another example of how the government either doesn't understand vast swaths of the province or has just dismissed them, said Hudak, adding it’s wrong and needs to be fixed.