Page 4 - March 16, 2017

Editorial
Province has to
look at power
costs for business
Page 4
The Independent
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Our Story
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There has been a lot of talk about the high cost of hydro in our province.
Residents have been struggling to pay bills which have risen by double digits in the past few years. On- tario’s Auditor General has decried the way the current government has handled the operation of the utility.
And business owners - particularly large industries
- have voiced concerns about the effect of high power rates on their pro tablity and ablity to expand. Green- house operators have been among that group, with several in the Leamington area saying they can only afford to expand into the United States.
So, it may be somewhat surprising to hear Greenhill Produce plans to invest up to $100 million in Dawn- Euphemia this summer.
The Chatham-Kent greenhouse operator has pur- chased 100 acres of land in Edys Mills to put up the massive operation. It could employ up to 300 people depending on the type of crop they’re growing.
The owner told us that yes, power rates are very high and yes, he would like the province to look at commer- cial operations like his and consider what it could do to lower rates to make them more competitive.
That request from Greenhill and a lot of other green- house operators has so far fallen on deaf ears.
Our obsession with The Big Snowstorm
That is unfortunate. Greenhill says the market for greenhouse products is at an all-time high and their expansion will capitalize on the need. Ontario has the greenhouse know-how and could ourish as the market expands - but few will have the same commitment to Ontario as Greenhill does. The prospects of bigger pro ts will send others south of the border.
It is truly amazing how we can get worked up about a bit of snow anymore.
Forecasters were caught off-guard when a large weather system moved
in and dumped giant mounds of snow everywhere. Winds were whipping up snow drifts large enough to completely bury cars.
small amount of snow which causes next to no problem except for the cancellations made just in case.
If the premier is really serious about creating jobs in Ontario, the cost of power to business - not just to vot- ers - should be a top concern.
Over the weekend, social media was buzzing with word of the “Big Storm” heading into southern Ontario. There were breaking news ashes and giant radar pictures everywhere. If you only looked at the photos you would swear we were about to get 100 centimetres in the next few minutes.
You might remember hundreds of people were stranded on the frozen 402 overnight because they simply couldn’t move.
Frankly, the whole thing seems to be overkill to me.
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But then I read the ne print. The Big Storm would be about 10 to 25 centimetres of snow.
After days of clean up and several months of nger pointing, weather forecasters looked at what they did and didn’t do during the snowstorm. And they concluded, they should have told us more.
Of course my
children were
temporarily
excited by the
talk of the storm
coming in... The
thought of lots
of snow had
them dreaming
of staying home
from school, until
they remembered
it was March break. John, our 13 year-old, was still happy and making plans for tobogganing. I hope there is enough snow.
That’s hardly enough for Canadians to break out their toques. When I was a kid, the only reason we got a snow day was when you couldn’t open the door because it was blocked by snow. Even then mom might drive you in later.
So since then, every time a ake appears on the horizon, there are special weather statements or weather watches or weather bulletins. They’re treated with great respect - top of the radio newscasts all day and all night.
Heather Wright
So why the frenzy? You only have to look back to about seven years ago to a little thing called Snowmageddon.
And more often than not, we get a
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