Ford defends $231M in cancellation costs for green energy projects
(The Star Health)

Premier Doug Ford says it’s not a waste of taxpayers’ money to spend $231 million on compensation to developers of almost 800 renewable energy projects his government axed shortly after taking power last year. “No,� Ford told reporters Thursday when asked about criticisms of the pending payouts, saying the projects — including the White Pines wind farm in Prince Edward County — were cancelled to keep electricity bills from going higher.“I’m so proud of that,� added Ford. “I’m proud that we actually saved the taxpayers $790 million when we cancelled those terrible, terrible wind turbines.�He later blamed wind farm contracts signed by previous Liberal administrations for pushing electricity rates to unaffordable levels and declared that “if we had the chance to get rid of all the wind turbines, we would.�NDP Leader Andrea Horwath again pushed Ford’s Progressive Conservatives to call in independent provincial auditor general Bonnie Lysyk to verify the compensation costs and claims of savings, given the Liberals “lowballed� estimates of the cancellation fees for two gas-fired power plants before the 2011 election. The auditor later found the cost to be up to $1.1 billion over 20 years. “I didn’t trust the Liberal numbers when they first brought them out and I don’t trust these numbers either and that’s why I’m urging the government to do the right thing,� said Horwath.She dubbed Ford’s justification of the $231 million in compensation fees allocated for this year “shocking,� given the government initially boasted the projects could be scrapped at no cost and the premier’s long-time mantra of “respect for taxpayers.�“The Ford government didn’t even tell the people of Ontario that they were going to be hit with the bill, and today the premier is shameless enough to say that he couldn&# ...