Montreal, March 29, 2022 - Option consommateurs is launching a petition to the National Assembly calling on the government to restore Hydro-Québec's annual rate-setting authority to the Régie de l'énergie, and to freeze rates until they are set by the Régie.
The consumer rights organization is calling on all Quebecers to let the government know that it made a mistake in adopting the Act to simplify the electricity rate-setting process, which allows Hydro-Québec rates to be indexed annually to the rate of inflation. With this Act, the Régie de l'énergie can only set rates every 5 years.
"By removing the Régie de l'énergie's power to set Hydro-Québec's annual rates, the government has created an unnecessary rate shock that is having a major impact on households already hard hit by rising food, gas and housing prices," says Christian Corbeil, General Manager ofOption consommateurs.
Remember that next April, Hydro-Québec's rates will rise by 2.6%, while for the year 2021, Hydro-Québec has announced record profits of $3.5 billion.
"This situation shows that current rates allow Hydro-Québec to charge far more than the revenue required to supply electricity, and that it is more than necessary to let the Régie de l'énergie play its watchdog role. Even if the government intends to amend its law to limit the increase to 3%, this increase still allows the Crown corporation to make unreasonable profits," adds Corbeil.
Low-income households are once again hard hit, as they often occupy poorly insulated dwellings and have few means of reducing their energy consumption.
You can sign the petition sponsored by Manon Massé, Québec solidaire MNA for Sainte-Marie-Saint-Jacques and spokesperson for the second opposition group on energy and natural resources, on the National Assembly website.
About Option consommateurs
Option consommateurs is a non-profit association whose mission is to defend the rights and interests of consumers. It focuses on issues related to personal finance, business practices, financial services, privacy, energy, debt and access to justice.
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For more information or an interview :
Marie-Ève Dumont, Communications Consultant
514-777-6133
