People in Ontario can't afford light and heat - Page 3 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

stampsx2 · 07-03-2016, 07:43 AM

Alberta's electricity rates right now are the lowest they've been in ten years. Wait till Jan 1 when the carbon tax kicks in. Cutting out coal isn't going to be cheap. There will also be increasing rates for transmission and distribution costs coming. The green bin will add an extra $6.50 as well.

People don't realize it but to put up solar panels and wind turbines albertans will have to pay for distribution lines to connect to those as well.

If the actual electricity rates go up as well it'll be bad.

This also applies to stores and restaurants who have , heating, cooling and transportation costs. The cost will be passed on to the consumer.

Oh yeah and gas is going up, property tax is going up, cpp is going up, alcohol is going up etc.

Good luck everyone. This is what you wanted.

Derek Sutton · 07-03-2016, 08:02 AM

It seems like we are all mixed up between the bill total vs services total vs actual cost of the power. I have my Direct Energy bill in front of me right now which is for natural gas only. The total bill is $51.60 yet the gas used only cost $2.45. Now if the carbon tax is only on consumption, or the energy actually used, that is really insignificant. The biggest costs on all our utilities are administration fees and delivery charges etc..., I'd like to think that these charges should remain relatively unchanged.

calgarygeologist · 07-03-2016, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Alberta's electricity rates right now are the lowest they've been in ten years. Wait till Jan 1 when the carbon tax kicks in. Cutting out coal isn't going to be cheap. There will also be increasing rates for transmission and distribution costs coming. The green bin will add an extra $6.50 as well.

People don't realize it but to put up solar panels and wind turbines albertans will have to pay for distribution lines to connect to those as well.

If the actual electricity rates go up as well it'll be bad.

This also applies to stores and restaurants who have , heating, cooling and transportation costs. The cost will be passed on to the consumer.

Oh yeah and gas is going up, property tax is going up, cpp is going up, alcohol is going up etc.

Good luck everyone. This is what you wanted.

Don't forget that restaurants will become significantly more expensive because the server wage is going away and they will have to be paid the regular minimum wage.

FlamesAddiction · 07-03-2016, 08:33 AM

We pay about $210 per month in electricity (a rural community just on the outside edge of the GTA). It used to be half that before we had the baby and my wife is at home all day. It's less than a lot of our friends pay and I always thought we did pretty good relatively speaking. Gas is another $115/mo and most of that is a flat service fee and has nothing to do with usage.

I see it as a weird combination of socialism and corporate greed in Ontario. They are strange bed fellows, but they work together and in the end, the consumer gets screwed.

dissentowner · 07-03-2016, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T@T

To be fair.

Location: Seoul, South Korea

Your link shows a roughly 25% difference between Alberta-Ontario in 2015, but I'm still wondering why dissentowner is 5-6x higher this year.

I may have figured it out though after reading some Trudeau threads.

Spoiler!

I guess I should have mentioned I have a hot tub on my back deck that I am sure contributes to the expense.

dissentowner · 07-03-2016, 09:57 AM

Here are the rates for St. Thomas, where I reside.

http://www.sttenergy.com/sites/downl...5-01_Rates.pdf

bigtmac19 · 07-03-2016, 10:04 AM

My hydro bill for a 1500 sq ft townhouse has consistently increased since I moved in 5 years ago. The debt retirement charge has only recently been taken off as a charge on every Ontario hydro bill. That was at least a 10 year grab. We also never do laundry or run the dishwasher during on peak hours. I don't use the dry cycle on my dishwasher, have a gas water heater, keep my AC at 25, which is barely comfortable some days. It is outrageous.

Machiavelli · 07-03-2016, 10:13 AM

Wow, some of you pay insane amounts. I'm at about 50/month for a 4 bedroom semi-detached

bigtmac19 · 07-03-2016, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

Wow, some of you pay insane amounts. I'm at about 50/month for a 4 bedroom semi-detached

how???

Kavvy · 07-03-2016, 10:15 AM

I am actually for phasing out coal, but I am able to afford it and also believe cheap energy is a top way to help fight poverty.

replacing coal with wind and solar - sure if economics allow it, otherwise, burn that natural gas.

Nat gas will have its time to be replaced, but we shouldn't skip it and jump to uneconomical energy sources! It is dirt cheap, and from my understanding, way cleaner then coal - burn it!

Machiavelli · 07-03-2016, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigtmac19

how???

Well it's just me, that might explain some of it

Rarely use the dishwasher
Do laundry once a week
TV and laptop are the only things that are on more than off
I do cook/bake fairly often

FlamingHomer · 07-03-2016, 10:45 AM

My brain hurts trying to figure the huge discrepancies in electric bills among you.

Fire of the Phoenix · 07-03-2016, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigtmac19

My hydro bill for a 1500 sq ft townhouse has consistently increased since I moved in 5 years ago. The debt retirement charge has only recently been taken off as a charge on every Ontario hydro bill. That was at least a 10 year grab. We also never do laundry or run the dishwasher during on peak hours. I don't use the dry cycle on my dishwasher, have a gas water heater, keep my AC at 25, which is barely comfortable some days. It is outrageous.

The description between 'your electricity charges' and 'other charges' might as well just read : "Because #### you, that's why"

calgaryblood · 07-03-2016, 04:10 PM

Maybe it's just me but isn't that a reasonable bill even for Alberta? It's about $112 for electricity. Which might be a little high but definetely not "choose between food and electricity" high.

Street Pharmacist · 07-03-2016, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigtmac19

My hydro bill for a 1500 sq ft townhouse has consistently increased since I moved in 5 years ago. The debt retirement charge has only recently been taken off as a charge on every Ontario hydro bill. That was at least a 10 year grab. We also never do laundry or run the dishwasher during on peak hours. I don't use the dry cycle on my dishwasher, have a gas water heater, keep my AC at 25, which is barely comfortable some days. It is outrageous.

To be fair, almost half of that bill is city utilities, not electricity

Fire of the Phoenix · 07-03-2016, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Maybe it's just me but isn't that a reasonable bill even for Alberta? It's about $112 for electricity. Which might be a little high but definetely not "choose between food and electricity" high.

We pay about $75/ month with a five bedroom house with a full basement in BC. Family of four and my wife runs a fulltime day care with four kids plus our two. $200-$300 (some stories in this thread) seems pretty out of line to me. Mind you my sewer/trash is part of my property tax, I didn't really factor that in, now that I think of it.

dissentowner · 07-03-2016, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

We pay about $75/ month with a five bedroom house with a full basement in BC. Family of four and my wife runs a fulltime day care with four kids plus our two. $200-$300 (some stories in this thread) seems pretty out of line to me. Mind you my sewer/trash is part of my property tax, I didn't really factor that in, now that I think of it.

BC is a lot cheaper for hydro than Ontario.

Sliver · 07-03-2016, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigtmac19

My hydro bill for a 1500 sq ft townhouse has consistently increased since I moved in 5 years ago. The debt retirement charge has only recently been taken off as a charge on every Ontario hydro bill. That was at least a 10 year grab. We also never do laundry or run the dishwasher during on peak hours. I don't use the dry cycle on my dishwasher, have a gas water heater, keep my AC at 25, which is barely comfortable some days. It is outrageous.

AC at 25? Oh man, that sucks. I keep mine at 21 and sleep with my flannel sheets year round because they're so comfy.

DownhillGoat · 07-04-2016, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sliver

AC at 25? Oh man, that sucks. I keep mine at 21 and sleep with my flannel sheets year round because they're so comfy.

Ew even AC at 21 sounds gross.

Aleks · 07-04-2016, 01:27 AM

I don't think it's much worse than here. I was just venting to my family about my enmax bill today. Usage, that's hardly a factor, it's the charges that are absurd! My gas usage last month was around $5.75 actual. My gas portion of the bill was $53, 10% usage, 90% fees and charges! My electric was $18 usage actual, and $71 after fees and riders. It's absolutely insane that this happens. My parents on the island $14 gas. No delivery. No admin fees, no rate riders, no bulk charges, nothing.