On April 7, 2017, CARP’s Wanda Morris, VP of Advocacy, and Marissa Semkiw, Director of Advocacy met with Andrea Horwath, Leader of the Ontario NDP, and Teresa Armstrong, NDP Critic, Home and Long Term Care, Seniors’ Affairs to discuss many of CARP’s advocacy priorities.

 

Hydro Rates

The New Democrats expressed satisfaction with the Liberal Party’s announcement, while maintaining that their campaign does not go far enough. If  elected, the NDP would do the following:

• Begin process of returning Hydro One to public ownership and control;
• Fix unfair delivery costs so that rural Hydro One distribution customers pay the same delivery costs as urban Hydro One customers;
• End mandatory time of use pricing;
• Cap private profit margins; and
• Enter into negotiations with the federal government to remove the federal portion of the HST from hydro bills

 

CARP continues to pressure the government to address time of use pricing which places an undue burden on retirees and others who spend considerable time at home during peak hours and consequently pay the highest cost for peak pricing.

 

Read more about CARP’s Heat or Eat campaign to reduce hydro rates. (hyperlink: http://www.carp.ca/hydro/)

 

Investor Protection

CARP and the NDP discussed CARP’s investor protection campaign.  Both parties are seeking stronger investment industry regulation and lower costs for investors who currently pay some of the highest fees in the world. (hyperlink: http://www.carp.ca/campaign/investor-protection/)

 

Read more about CARP’s Protect My Savings campaign to put investors returns ahead of advisors’ commissions.