Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada release statement against Electricity Advisory Council
by CM Staff
The CCMBC says that the Liberal government has consistently announced climate-related policies with no mention of their cost.
TORONTO — On May 5, Natural Resources Minister Wilkinson launched the Canada Electricity Advisory Council to help build Canada’s “clean electricity future”, with a net-zero emissions goal for 2035. The Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses Canada (CCMBC) President Catherine Swift says that “Canadians should pay close attention to this development as they will be paying dearly for the results of this exercise in future. A 30 to 50 per cent increase in hydro bills for both consumers and businesses is not only likely, but may be an underestimate of the impact.” They say that billions of tax dollars will also be spent to subsidize businesses involved and the many consultants, advisors and others involved in the “green” revolution.
The CCMBC says that the Liberal government has consistently announced climate-related policies with no mention of their cost.
“Remember back in 2019 when former Environment Minister McKenna claimed the carbon tax would not exceed $50 a tonne?” Swift said. “That was quickly proven to be a lie, as shortly thereafter we learned the Liberals’ plan was to more than triple that amount to $170 a tonne by 2030”, Swift added.
They say that the government has also consistently refused to publicize research they have done that estimates the cost of these policies to Canadians, while touting benefits to the climate that are reportedly never realized. “If Canadians are not highly suspicious of this Liberal government’s past dishonesty and lack of transparency whenever such an announcement is made, they are simply not paying attention”, Swift noted.
The CCMBC also says that the composition of this new Council is also questionable. Swift stated “There are precisely zero representatives from consumer groups, taxpayers or business groups, the people that will be footing the bill. That speaks volumes about how much concern the government has about affordability for average Canadians.”
The CCMBC was formed in 2016 with a mandate to advocate for proactive policies that are conducive to manufacturing and business retention and safeguarding job growth in Canada.
