Duane Hicks
The Town of Fort Frances is among the many Ontario municipalities speaking out against the province’s proposed sale of shares in Hydro One.
Council passed a resolution last night in support of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, which is calling on the provincial government to stop the sale of any part of Hydro One.
NOMA also wants the province to maintain the Hydro One network as a wholly-owned public asset for the benefit of all Ontarians.
With word the government is looking to sell 49 percent of its share in Hydro One, NOMA has asked regional municipalities to support its resolution to retain full ownership, explained Mayor Roy Avis.
“This was the main topic at NOMA last week,” echoed Coun. Paul Ryan.
“In the questions to the ministers who were there, almost every question was on the sale of Hydro One.”
Coun. Ken Perry said that when he spoke to Natural Resources and Forestry minister Bill Mauro about the sale of shares, “Minister Mauro said, ‘It’s a done deal.’”
“I don’t know where we’re going with this but I don’t like the ‘done deal,’” added Coun. Perry.
Coun. Ryan said one person at the NOMA conference in Thunder Bay last week raised the question to ministers about the Free Trade Agreement and how it applies if any European countries, Mexico, or the U.S., for example, buy Hydro One shares and there ends up being foreign ownership in Ontario.
“They didn’t seem to have an answer for that one,” Coun. Ryan noted.
“I think they’re going ahead kind of recklessly here.”
Also at last night’s meeting, council heard a presentation from local resident Carey Basaraba, of the group “Paws Around Town,” regarding a proposal to build a dog park on property located between
Lillie Avenue South and Webster Avenue (adjacent to the Legion Park).
This proposal was referred to the Planning and Development executive committee, with input from the Operations and Facilities executive committee.
In other news, Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown said local property owners who have been running their taps to avoid getting a frozen water line can stop doing so now.
He announced last night that during a dig on Church Street earlier that day, a town crew found there was “hardly any frost left in the ground.”
“So I am happy to tell everyone they can stop ‘bleeding’ before May 1 this year,” said Brown.
“Shut the taps down,” he added. “I think spring and summer’s here—I hope.”
Also last night, council:
•received the 2015 budget, which includes a residential tax levy increase of 1.9 percent, and passed all relevant bylaws (tax bills will be sent out soon, with tax payments due on July 31 and Aug. 31);
•awarded the tender to design and build a storage structure for winter control sand to Van Pelt Construction of Mitchell, Ont. at a total cost of $449,271.05 (all taxes included);
•awarded Tender 15-OF-10 (road reconstruction at Phair Avenue, Nelson Street, and King’s Highway) to Bay City Contracting Ltd.; and
•passed a bylaw to authorize a new three-year beverage sales agreement with PepsiCo Beverages Canada for purposes of purchase and resale of PBC products at the Memorial Sports Centre.
