Ontario auditor general critical of Hydro One spending

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(Updated)

If you think you’re paying too much for electricity, you’re not alone. And today’s report from the province’s Auditor General appears to confirm your suspicion.

In her annual report Bonnie Lysyk highlights some major inefficiencies and questionable spending and practices by the liberal government.

In her 3rd annual audit, Lysyk found that the electricity planning in Ontario has essentially broken down over the past decade.

“We calculated that electricity consumers have had to pay $9.2 billion more for power from renewable energy projects under the government program, then they would have under the previous procurement program.”

Between 2006 and 2014 electricity bills for homes and small businesses rose 70%, costing consumers $37 billion.

“Small business owners are paying more and more for hydro, because this government arrogantly chose to ignore the advice of experts.” said NDP leader Andrea Horwath.

Opposition parties tee’d off on the liberals following the auditor general’s report.

“This liberal government is failing to an unbelievable degree. This report is a very damning report. The only people that seem to be doing well by the liberals are their friends.” said Horwath.

“It is a stinging indictment of 12 years of liberal government waste and mismanagement in every imaginable department. Ministry and service area.” said P.C. MPP Lisa MacLeod.

Ontario’s Minister of Energy defended the expensive move from coal powered electricity to greener energy.

“Narrowly focussed value for money audits will always show it would have been cheaper to burn dirty coal, but we know that choosing cleaner air and healthier future and the single largest climate change action in North America was a choice people of ontario support.” said Bob Chiarelli.

The Auditor General also found that many of the provinces Children’s Aid society’s didn’t complete child protection investigations within the required 30 days.

On average, investigations were taking 7 months to complete.

“We found situations where files were closed too soon, investigations not being carried on a regular basis, and checks of people who children are being placed with aren’t done regularly, concerning.”

Lysyk also found that 80$ per cent of $1.45 billion in funding from the ministry of economic development and employment, went to companies the liberals invited to apply, but they couldn’t provide criteria they used to select firms or say if they created jobs.