Community groups plan protest against Hydro rate hike

Community groups are planning to protestthe 4.3 per centHydro-Qubecrate hike that went into effect this morning.

The increase comes as more and more Quebecers are having problems paying for their electricity as it is, with$522 million in Hydro bills past30 days overdue in 2013.

GhazalaMunawaris the manager at the South Asian Women's Community Centre, where she says many of the morethan 2000 clients are ona fixed income.

Munawarworries this latest rate hike will make it harder for her clients to pay their bills.

"We callHydro to ask them if they can make equalized payments. Still it is difficult," saidMunawar.

Marc-Olivier Moisan-Plante is an energy analyst atUnion Consommateur, and has been tracking the unpaid bills since the 2008 recession.

Hesays back then,the utility was owed less than half the amount it is owed now.

"We have a large amount of debt owed to Hydro-Qubec. If there is another economic downturn,we are worried this will lead many families to bankruptcy," saidMoisan-Plante.

Hydro-Quebec had requested a 5.8 per cent increase this year, but the energy board decided that was too high.

Last year, rates went up 2.4 per cent.

CAQoppose hike

Coalition Avenir Qubec leader,Franois Legault, says if elected, he would cancel thehike.

Legault says he would only allowincreases indexed to inflation andsays today's increaseis too high for Quebec families to bear.

"We have to understand that most workers don't have an increase of 4.3 per cent, old people having pensions, they don't have an increase of 4.3 per cent. So it's not fair," said Legault.

Legault blames the rate hike on the province's investment in wind farms andthat industry should be put on hold, because it's costing Quebecers too much money.

Community groups are set to protest against the rate hikes Thursday afternoon at Place milie-Gamelin.