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2 Oiono Wet klv 1'imts Wednesday f>hiu.uv ~20o7~\ k Weekly Times Serving East Clarington and since 1937 Subscriptions $28:04 + $1.96 G.S.T. = $30.00/year Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 Agreement No. 400123'66 ■ Publishing 50 Issues Annually at the Office of Publication • "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs." • 5310 Main Street, P.O. Box 209, Orono, Ontario LOB 1M0 E-Mail Address: oronotimes@speedline.ca Phone/Fax (905) 983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart C Ol aV lMriW.mjtoW.COM The Orono Weekly Times welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of interest to our readers. Opinions expressed to the editor and articles are those of the writers and dû not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Orono Weekly Times. Letters must be signed and contain the address and phone number of the writer. Any letter considered unsuitable will not be acknowledged or returned. We reserve the right to edit for length, libel and slander. If your retail or classified ad appears for the first time, please check carefully. Notice of an,error must be given before the next issue goes ^^k^rint. The Orono Weekly Times will not be responsible for the loss or damage of such items. 6 Energy users beware! By: Jeanne Wigand Starting in March 2000, electricity retailers began signing up customers for the May 1. 2002 opening of Ontario's electric market to competition. Exactly what you are signing up for has not always been made clear due to the existing billing systems of Hydro One and Veridian, which serve most of the homes and businesses in Clarington. The Ministry of Energy estimates the current kilowatt hourly rate is four cents and change for Ontario's households. The remaining amount, about five cents, is for transmission, distribution distribution and other regulated costs and will still be added to whatever whatever kilowatt rate you choose. Your current electric bill includes the cost of electricity, transmission, distribution, debt retirement and administrative costs. Hydro One's invoice "bundles" most of these charges and shows them as the kilowatt rate with an additional service charge. Veridian breaks out some of these items but does "bundle" "bundle" the electricity and transmission costs as one charge. Beginning in May 2002, all companies will have to "un-bundle" these charges and show them separately although to help consumers consumers make an informed choice the Ministry of Energy and the Ontario Energy Board should have required it sooner. At a minimum, the existing service providers should have been required to show the exact kilowatt hourly rate separately so you could compare it to the offers being made by the competing competing companies. The one, three and five year offers being made are for the electricity kilowatt hourly rate only. The transmission, distribution and other regulated charges will be added! to that rate for your total electric bill. Under the current conditions you could easily be misled by overeager salespeople, A gentleman from On source came to our home with the proper identification. He asked to see our current electric bill and specifically compared the kilowatt rate on our invoice of 9.14 cents to his offer ranging from 5.75 to 5.95 cents plus the regulated rates for transmission and distribution distribution etc. What you should be tomparing is the current rate of 4.2 cents versus the 5.75 to 5.95. The other costs will still remain and may increase with whatever supplier you choose. You can also choose to do nothing and will be^billed at the current rate. The costs could fluctuate due to market conditions and usage patterns. For more information you can contact the Ministry of Energy toll-free at 1 -888-668-4636 or go on-line at www.est.gov.on.ca Letters f©< 9 8 7 8 5 f Today's Estimated Electricity Costs to Ontario Residential Customers* (cents per kilowatt hour) 8 - ! » I Transmission, i Distribution and Other Costs** Current Cost of Electricity "Commodity" 1 Cost refers to the Ontario average cost for customers of « municipal electric utilities, as of July ÿ)()t. These include the costs of transmission and distribution which are regulated by the Ontario Energy Board, and other regulated costs such as old Ontario Hyilnudeht retirement payments, system operations and other charges. The current average generation cost for Ontario Power Generation and non-utility generators (NUGs). Dear Marg: I want to thank you for your excellent Editorial on Peter Gzowski, and for Timothy Tufts' Opinion piece. Both of them echoed what the whole country must feel. I can't think of another writer or broadcaster who made such a quest to visit, in person and over the airwaves, every region of Canada and enjoy and celebrate them all. He had a genuine and endless curiosity about what makes people tick, and how things work. He built something unique, and its up to all of us not to let the government destroy it. I believe true immortality lies in the memories people have of us, and in my heart Peter will live forever. Jessica Markland by Roy Forrester Dear Editor, ■ y : I low come a picture of Our special forces was taken? It may just be me but covert operations are sup- My dander was aroused somewhat recently on reading reading our lijjjal M.P. Alex Shepherd's article in the Orono Times related to our country's health care system. system. ' According to Alex, it's far too expensive for the level of service we are getting and that throwing money at it is not alleviating the situation. Health care costs are not going to reduce, due to a posed' to be just that...covert! So what were the circumstances circumstances under which a picture was takén of their activities' that made its way back to Canada 1 ? < < Nobody in the House of Commons thought to risk i Minister Eggletop this question, question, ( but it's one that should be answered. Yours truly, Joe Hueglin > 5838 Mouland Avenue Niagara Falls, Ontario growing as well as an aging population. There will always be new techniques and medical advancements to preserve a healthy body and mind. We can look for and affect efficiencies within the system, but costs will ever rise. Alex;, like others, calls for everything to be on the table including private hospitals. hospitals. This' brings to mind Highway 407 and as well the disappointment we will find, •May 1, when hydro corporate corporate systems operate in a free and open market. , My bet is, "it will cost more" even though it is now in a free enterprise system open to competition. I would have to think that we are, well served in this area through the five hospitals operated by tire Lakeridgc Health Corporation Corporation with a budget of $237.5 million, some $4 mil- (continued page 3)