Ontario is expected to release its long-term energy plan today.
Parts of it, including changing when less expensive off-peak hours kick in, have already been reported.
Specific announcements for northwestern Ontario are being made this morning in Thunder Bay.
OPP are looking to stuff-a-cruiser.
Constable Anne McCoy says the aim is to fill cruisers placed throughout the district with food or clothes that would be distributed to needy families across the Rainy River district.
"The concept of stuff-a-cruiser is to heighten awareness that there is people in need in our community," says McCoy, "especially with the economic times that we're all facing. We want to make sure that we not only heighten the awareness, but also bring to the attention that there's things that people can do in the community to help people in need."
An information meeting is planned for 10 a.m. today at the Fort Frances Library and Technology Centre.
(Gerry Armstrong (l) receives plaque from C.A.O Mark McCaigThe town of Fort Frances is losing its fire chief.
Gerry Armstrong is retiring at the end of this year after five years at the helm.
"It's something I've been thinking about now for the last number of months," says Armstrong. "I guess my return to Fort Frances as fire chief was one of those things that really was not probably going to be a long term situation."
Armstrong joined the fire department in 1976, leaving in 1986 to take a position with the Ontario Fire Marshall's office before returning as fire chief.
(Committee Chair Bill Gushalak (l) with Mark Kowalchuk who accepted award for Joyce Cunningham on her behalf)
(Sherri Loveday of Suds and Tubs is donating laundry services for the Act of Kindness Community Chest fundraiser - photo courtesy http://www.acts-of-kindness.ca/)
(Left to Right - Nick Lawrence, Partner Representative, Van Houtte Inc.; Adair Ireland-Smith, Director, Ontario Parks; Theresa McDonald, bursary recipient; John Winters, Bursary Chair; and Virginia West, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources - supplied photo)
Electricity consumers in Ontario will get 10 per cent rebates on their bills starting in January to offset a projected 46per cent hike in hydro rates over the next five years.
Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says the rebates should help keep increases in electricity rates to about 3.6 per cent a year as Ontario moves to green energy sources.
Duncan admits the switch to renewable energy is responsible for more than half of the projected increase.
But he says there are financial and human savings to getting out of coal-fired generation.
He asks if it's worth three billion dollars a year in health costs to the province just to keep burning coal to generate electricity.
The Tories and New Democrats say the rebates are clearly designed to help the Liberals overcome voter anger over skyrocketing hydro bills in advance of next fall's election.
Wind power opponents say the so-called Clean Energy Benefit is an attempt to hide the true cost of green energy.
They say it "won't stem the anger, solve the problem or spare the Liberals in 2011.''
Electricity consumers in Ontario will find out detailstoday on how the Liberal government intends to lower their bills by10 per cent.
Finance Minister Dwight Duncan will announce the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit in his fall economic update, promising to lower hydro bills starting in the new year.
Premier Dalton McGuinty wouldn't confirm details, but says the government knows people are struggling with soaring electricity bills.
He says cutting electricity bills is about understanding the pressures on families and providing them with "a little bit of help.''
However, the Opposition says cutting electricity rates 11 months before an election smacks of a desperate attempt to help the Liberals win a third term in office.
