Ad campaign calls for a stop to hasty Hydro One privatization

ONTARIO, May 25, 2015 /CNW/ - Keep Hydro Public, a broad-based coalition created to stop the Ontario government's plan to sell off 60 percent of Hydro One, is launching a new round of radio and online advertising today, calling on the government to shelve its plan to privatize Hydro One.

"The government is trying to push through privatization before Ontarians realize it's happening," said Katrina Miller, spokesperson for Keep Hydro Public. "Selling off 60 percent of Hydro One will lead to higher electricity costs, less reliable service, and less accountability; and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues from Hydro One will go into the pockets of private investors instead of toward vital public services we depend on."

The 30-second radio spot, which focuses on the negative impacts of privatizing Hydro One, will air in markets across the province over the next two weeks; an online campaign will begin in a few days.

Recent public opinion research conducted by coalition members shows that a large and growing percentage of Ontario residents are opposed to privatizing the province's largest public utility - the more Ontarians become aware of this issue, the more they are opposed to it. Miller noted, "Today, three out of four Ontarians with an opinion on privatizing Hydro One are opposed to this sell-off. They fear it will lead to higher costs, to less reliable service, and they are concerned about the lack of transparency in this process."

"This is our electricity system – Ontario residents rely on it, we paid for it, and we have a stake in how it is managed," Miller commented. "The government is making this decision to sell it off, in haste and largely behind closed doors, without providing Ontario residents a meaningful opportunity to have their voices heard on such a fundamental issue. We are telling the government to keep hydro public."

Keep Hydro Public is a coalition representing community, labour and student organizations from across the province. For more information on Keep Hydro Public, or to hear the radio ads, visit www.keephydropublic.ca

SOURCE Keep Hydro Public

For more information contact Katrina Miller at 647-272-5024.