The government is stating with Bill 165 that the OEB’s decision to say no to amortizing the cost of further gas pipeline infrastructure for new builds is ‘rash’ and ‘could cost’ new homeowners thousands more dollars to purchase a home. The OEB thinks Enbridge and developers should pay to provide a service from which they will reap immense profit. It is also proven that air heat pumps drastically reduce energy bills, given less or no need for fossil gas, and therefore notably reducing its hold in the marketplace. This government refuses to legislate or offer wider incentives for air heat pumps to be included in new builds like the federal government has done. Since this government, energy costs have risen and will continue to do so as the marketplace comparisons show, with little to no transition to another energy source. Wind and solar are producing electricity far more cheaply than fossil gas (approximately 10 cents per kWh less). This government cancelled more of Ontario’s transition into that sector in 2018, costing us $230 million. Emissions in Ontario have increased under his watch. This is costing everyone more in insurance, property taxes, health care and food prices, as will the 413. Coincidentally, this bill is being done on the heels of the government pushing for gas plant expansions which municipalities have categorically said they will not have, increasing output from existing plants when many experts say is not needed, and the cost of energy will double because of their current plan to use fossil gas for electricity generation at least for the next 10 years when viable alternatives exist. This is the first time any Ontario government has tried to override the decision made by this independent energy oversight body while also eliminating its oversight for the future gas pipelines. The OEB’s role is to ‘protect the public and drive energy sector performance’, ‘that consumers are treated fairly and that the energy sector is reliable and sustainable’. The OEB is fulfilling its mandate and that means a significant loss of revenue for Enbridge if it doesn’t transition to cleaner energy. Fossil gas is one of the most costly sources of energy, is not considered sustainable, and is one of the worst contributors to the climate crisis through methane emissions, as will be the $12 billion 413. Costing us more in insurance, property taxes, health care and food prices. Bill 165, Keeping Costs Down Act, brings to mind the Greenbelt fiasco, except this time it is the Ontario Electricity Board’s oversight that is going to be diminished, Enbridge shareholders who prosper ($43.6 billion last year), and the real costs will continue to fall into the lap of homeowners and climate. Your name here