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OTTAWA – Doug Ford wants to let the world know that Ontario is "open for business".
The platform on which he was elected states that governments do not create jobs on their own. "What the government can do, however, is create the conditions that make it easier to start a business, grow a business or invest in Ontario." [19659002] Unfortunately, governments can also make ideological decisions in pbading the Urgent Priorities Act, specifically the White Pines Wind Projects Stopping Act
. Ontario, Doug Ford, addresses the media outside his Queen's Park office in Toronto, Ontario on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.
Ernest Doroszuk / Toronto Sun / Postmedia
White Pines is a project to build nine wine turbines on the shore of Lake Ontario in Prince Edward County. Four of the turbines have already been built, as part of a project that the German company wpd Europe has been planning for a decade
The project is unpopular with the local municipality and the new government leader of the city. Ontario, Todd Smith. but he complied with all the regulatory requirements of the independent operator of Ontario's electricity system, including reducing the number of turbines from 27 to 9.
Ford would be particularly upset that the IESO has advised wpd Canada to proceed with two days of campaigning
You may disagree with the generous rates offered to producers by the provincial Liberal government and you can respect the right of the newly elected government to follow its own path .
But you can not shut down a company that has invested $ 100 million in a project, after complying with all the rules, and then saying that it's not entitled to seek compensation in front of courts. (The legislation gives the government the power to limit compensation through regulation). Or at least you can not say all these things and say that you are "open to business".
White Pines promises to be a test for Ford. John Manley, President and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister to tell him that he is worried about the impact of the new Business Climate Act. in Ontario.
The White Pine Wind project wind turbines be seen near a hayfield in Milford, ON, on Thursday, July 12, 2018.
THE CANADIAN PRESS / Lars Hagberg
"(The Law) would revoke the licenses several years after the developer would have obtained them from the appropriate regulations cancel the contracts with the independent power grid operator that were negotiated in good faith and unilaterally set conditions to which the promoter may be eligible for compensation, "he said." We believe this legislation, if enacted, would undermine investor confidence and create an unwelcome precedent for how the government intends to deal with the private sector. "[19659002] Manley said the principles at stake are similar to those In British Columbia, regarding the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, a new provincial government is trying to block a project that has already received all necessary federal and provincial permits.
He urged caution. "One of Ontario's strengths is the reputation for fairness and respect for the rule of law," he said.
Sabine Sparwbader, ambbadador for Germany to Canada, added that Manley was concerned about the threat to a project. is almost done. "Germany wants to do more with Canada and Ontario, but that would not send a good message to investors," she said.
It is disconcerting that Canada's governments continue to stand in the way when the country really needs it
Former Minister of Industry and Moderator John Manley dons a red baseball cap while He jokes before moderating a session with Navdeep Singh Bains at a conference in Ottawa on Wednesday, October 12, 2016 In an interview with Bloomberg last weekend, Bill Morneau, the Minister of Finance, has reported a Damascus conversion to the competitiveness agenda, after presenting a budget of $ 6.5 billion for various social programs and has shown no tangible concern that the investment will be made. infiltrates south of the border, attracted by lower tax rates and less stringent regulation. Morneau is now saying that he will present a financial update later this year that will deal with corporate taxation, oil pipelines and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
It's high time. The climate of foreign direct investment in Canada has deteriorated steadily since 2013 – a combination of external factors such as US tax cuts and falling oil prices, as well as internal political changes such as the rise electricity prices, a rise in the minimum wage, carbon taxes, the inability to pbad pipelines, increased debt costs and tax increases on individuals and small businesses.
White Pines is less a "progressive" environmental policy than a politically motivated NIMBYisme. In this regard, it is similar to Dalton McGuinty's decision regarding the gas plant and, regardless of the attempted blockage, the results are likely to be similar, with the taxpayer being on the lookout.
Ford should rethink ahead of White Pines the turbines undermine its reputation for reliability from international investors.
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