Saskatchewan people forced to pay for smart meter, carbon capture fiascos

In the wake of the Sask. Party’s smart meter and carbon capture debacles, SaskPower announced today that they will need two more rounds of rate increases within the next twelve months.

“Time after time this government shrugged off concerns around how their failed projects would hurt Saskatchewan families, but plowed ahead with them anyway,” said NDP Crown Investments Corporation critic Carla Beck. “But here we are again being told that our SaskPower bills will go up this summer and then again, right after Christmas.”

SaskPower has seen a number of rate increases in the midst of the failed smart meter program and the carbon capture project, including five per cent in 2013, 5.5 per cent in 2014 and five per cent in 2015. Now Saskatchewan families will see a five per cent increase on July 1 and another 5 per cent increase in January.

The carbon capture project has cost Saskatchewan $1.5 billion, and has had many costly setbacks. Saskatchewan ratepayers are also on the hook for millions more after dangerous fire-prone smart meters were installed, then taken off of homes throughout the province. That is on top of the $23 million the Sask. Party handed the manufacturers of the meters that Saskatchewan families will never get back.

“This government simply doesn’t understand that it’s the people of the province that are paying for these projects,” said SaskPower critic Cathy Sproule. “We haven’t seen a budget from this government; we saw nothing in the throne speech by way of a vision for the future of this province; and now we’re seeing more financial burdens placed on hardworking Saskatchewan families and businesses who have helped make this province the great place that it is. That’s not right.”

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