‘Cancel the hike,’ Liberals urge as Hydro-Québec rates go up read full article on indianwallah.in

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“This hike provides to the weight on our marketers and SMEs, who already face top prices, debt from the pandemic and a labour scarcity,” Tanguay instructed L. a. Presse Canadienne.

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“What we’re calling for is the cancellation of the velocity hike, each for people and for SMEs” he added.

The Hydro-Québec fee hikes went into impact on Saturday. On Feb. 15, the National Assembly adopted Bill 2, which places a 3 in keeping with cent ceiling at the build up for residential shoppers. That cap does no longer follow to SMEs.

“I’m highlighting the incoherence of a central authority that claims ‘For people, it’ll be 3 in keeping with cent, however SMEs will organize with inflation at 6.5 in keeping with cent.’ We’re denouncing that,” Tanguay mentioned.

The meantime Liberal chief thinks the hike may also have an affect on shoppers and inflation: “63 in keeping with cent of SMEs are decreased to shifting further prices of their costs.”

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Economic system minister Pierre Fitzgibbon opened the door on Friday to assist for SMEs who want it, however Tanguay remained unconvinced.

“SMEs are wiped out and we’re seeing superminister Fitzgibbon wash his arms of it,” he mentioned.

The hike was once additionally criticized via the Canadian Federation of Impartial Trade (CFIB), which is looking at the executive to cap the indexing of electrical energy charges at 3 in keeping with cent for SMEs as it’s doing for houses. The CFIB warns that the hike may weaken the economic system simply as many SMEs emerge from the pandemic.

Tanguay reiterated the want to freeze Hydro-Québec charges and provides the facility to set long run hikes again to the Régie de l’énergie du Québec.