NSNDP Propose Plan to Lower Power Bills and Protect Privacy as Legislature Returns

HALIFAX –Today, Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender announced that New Democrats will advocate for changes that protect people’s private information and help lower soaring power costs in the fall sitting next week.

Chender will introduce legislation to lower Nova Scotians’ power bills by 10 per cent and protect private information, allow free credit freezes, modernize rules around storing data, and let people recover their money if they’re harmed financially when their data is stolen.

“Nova Scotians deserve affordable, reliable power and it’s up to the government to make sure they get it,” said Chender. “Thousands of people have had their private information stolen and now the company announced a huge rate hike – the premier expressing empathy is not going to cut it. We’re putting forward steps that the Houston government can take to make sure this essential utility actually works for people, beginning with lower costs and real privacy protections.”

Since the Houston government was elected, Nova Scotians' power bills have gone up by more than four hundred dollars a year. Now NSP has applied for an eight per cent rate increase over two years, just months after their massive data breach where Nova Scotians' sensitive personal information was stolen.

“The Premier hasn’t taken action to hold Nova Scotia Power accountable for the harm they have caused, even after the CEO of Nova Scotia Power couldn’t explain why the company was storing social insurance numbers,” said Chender. “New Democrats are putting forward changes to have Nova Scotians’ backs on privacy and on keeping costs manageable.”

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