Lowering Nova Scotians’ bills should be top priority for Energy Minister: Chender

HALIFAX – Today, Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender wrote to the Premier, as Energy Minister, calling on him to meet with the Affordable Energy Coalition and create a timeline to implement affordability measures to lower Nova Scotians’ power bills.

“There is a plan on the Minister’s desk to help Nova Scotians afford their bills,” said Chender. “The Premier needs to meet with the people who developed this plan and get moving to implement these solutions so Nova Scotians are able to afford to build the life they want here at home.”

Nova Scotians spend 30 per cent more on their home energy than the average Canadian and power bills in our province are about to increase again. When Nova Scotia Power’s rate increase is fully in place next year, families will be spending $600 more a year on power than when Houston became Premier.

“Nova Scotian’s power bills keep going up. When the Premier made himself the Energy Minister, people trusted that he would take this issue seriously and things would get better,” said Chender. “Helping Nova Scotians afford their power bills should be the top priority for the Energy Minister but he hasn’t even met with the Affordable Energy Coalition to discuss their plan to lower people’s bills. Instead, the premier is spending all his time outside the province pitching hypothetical future projects. So far we have seen no new jobs and no cheaper power for Nova Scotians.”

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