Peterborough residents launch local campaign to stop hydro privatization

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 19, 2016) - Sadleir House was packed with Peterborough residents today, as residents launched a local campaign to stop the privatization of Peterborough Distribution, Inc., and any further sale of Hydro One.

"We polled in June and found 88 percent of Peterborough residents opposed the Liberal government's plan to sell Hydro One. Last month, we learned of a plan to sell PDI. Do you think, if we were to poll again today, that Peterborough residents would be any less opposed to privatizing PDI than they are with Hydro One?" asked Joshua Moraes, spokesperson for the Keep Hydro Public Coalition.

Peterborough residents filled Sadleir House for the campaign launch before heading out to canvass and leaflet door-to-door. Campaign materials remind constituents that 85 percent of Hydro One is still owned by the people of Ontario, and it's not too late to Keep Hydro Public.

Leaflets, billboards and newspaper ads call on Liberal MPP Jeff Leal and Mayor Daryl Bennett to stand up for the people they represent and speak out now against privatization now, whether it's keeping PDI public in Peterborough or acting at Queen's Park to stop the Hydro One sell-off from going any further.

The campaign links MPP votes on the Hydro sell-off at Queen's Park and their role as locally elected representatives. It is the second in a series of community launches happening across the province.

"We elect politicians to represent us. Well, if the mayor is selling PDI and our MPP is voting to sell Hydro, then they're not listening to me or any of my neighbours," said Peterborough resident Adam Coones.

"Jeff Leal, like Liberal MPPs across the province, better pay attention and start speaking up on behalf of their constituents," said Candace Rennick, secretary-treasurer of CUPE Ontario, a partner in the Keep Hydro Public campaign. "It's clear that the majority of us in Peterborough feel the same way about maintaining local control over our utilities. Mayor Bennett and council also need to listen to their constituents and act to Keep PDI public."

The Keep Hydro Public campaign is supported by more than 20 community, labour, environment, anti-poverty and student organizations. Find out more about the campaign at KeepHydroPublic.ca.