NDP fear cost of cancelled gas power plant in Mississauga exceeds $180 million
July 16, 2012 - 11:46 AM
TORONTO - Ontario's New Democrats want the auditor general to determine the cost of the Liberal government's decision to cancel a gas power plant in Mississauga.
Energy Minister Chris Bentley admitted last week it would cost $180 million in penalties for the Liberals' move to cancel the plant just days before last fall's election.
But NDP energy critic Peter Tabuns has written auditor general Jim McCarter saying "there is much uncertainty about the full cost" of scrapping the plant.
Construction on the power plant continued for weeks after the Oct. 6 vote, but the decision to cancel it helped save several Liberal seats in the area.
The NDP say documents suggest the true cost of cancelling the plant may be "significantly higher," including an additional $10 million to stop the construction.
Tabuns says people deserve to know the full cost of the Liberal's last-minute decision, and whether or not the government exercised due diligence in minimizing cancellation costs.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012