Promises include draconian new powers to cancel projects and retroactively revoke approvals
(Mississauga) Tim Hudak has learned nothing from the gas plant cancellation decisions and is irresponsibly exposing the province to costs well over 20 times as large as the Mississauga and Oakville cancelations which were supported by all three parties.
The cornerstone of Tim Hudak’s reckless agenda includes new powers for the Minister of Energy and / or municipalities to retroactively violate terms of signed contracts. Those powers include sections permitting the outright “reconsideration of contracts” and draconian powers allowing them to unilaterally: “alter the terms and conditions of a renewable energy approval after it is issued; impose new terms and conditions on a renewable energy approval; or suspend or revoke a renewable energy approval.” (source: PC Million Jobs Act)
These unprecedented powers are in addition to changes that would give the Minister absolute power to violate existing contracts and “prohibit the connection of the renewable energy source” to the power grid. That section alone exposes the province to up to $20 billion in contract penalties.
When asked about the PC plans to cancel renewable energy contracts, the PC MPP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, Monte McNaughton was forced to admit: “clearly there will be a cost associated with that.” (source: Monte McNaughton,cleanbreak.ca, January 5, 2014)
To date Tim Hudak has refused to reveal how many billions he has set aside for lawsuits and settlements.
“The Hudak scheme to cancel renewable energy contracts is irresponsible and shows a naive understanding or a malicious approach to both the energy sector and the basic rules of contract law,” said Liberal MPP Bob Chiarelli. “It will cost billions, kill thousands of jobs in the energy sector and hurt our economy.”
It is disrespectful of opponents of wind and solar projects because it is calculated to mislead them into believing that 255 existing mutually enforceable contracts at various stages of development can be unilaterally cancelled by the government.
-Ontario Liberal Press Release
