Liberal deal to move Oakville gas fired plant to Lennox will cost $40 million
by The Canadian Press
Announcement made just before release of up to 100,000 documents on two cancelled power plants
TORONTO—The Liberal government has reached a deal to move the cancelled gas-fired generating station in Oakville to eastern Ontario.
Energy Minister Chris Bentley told the legislature the total unrecoverable cost for moving the Oakville energy project to the Lennox generating facility in Napanee will be $40-million.
Bentley made the announcement just before the government was to release up to 100,000 documents on two cancelled power plants.
Speaker Dave Levac had given the Liberal government until today to turn over the documents, which were requested months ago by a legislative committee.
The revelation is the latest in an ongoing saga surrounding the province’s gas-fired plants.
In July, the Liberals admitted it would cost taxpayers $190-million for their campaign team’s decision to halt construction on the Mississauga power plant just days before last October’s election.
But they had balked at turning over documents on the cancelled Oakville project until they reached a deal with project’s developer.
The Opposition called the decisions to cancel the gas plants “a Liberal seat-saver program,” and said holding seats in the suburban area west of Toronto was crucial to the government’s re-election.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak says his party will proceed with a motion to declare Bentley in contempt of the legislature because the Liberals tried to “cover up” the cost of cancelling the two gas plants.
The New Democrats joined with the Tories to refuse the Liberals’ request for a six-week extension on today’s deadline for the release of the documents.
