Kathleen Wynne booed at International Plowing Match

Premier Kathleen Wynne felt heat over hydro ratesTuesday at the International Plowing Match as she was booed severaltimes.

After losing a byelection in east Toronto earlier this month,Wynne acknowledged growing anger in the province over rising hydrorates and soon after announced an eight-per-cent rebate onelectricity bills and additional measures for rural and industrialcustomers.

But in a speech during the opening ceremonies of the plowingmatch -- an event of such importance for rural Ontario that thelegislature suspends sitting for two days so all party leaders andmost of the members can attend -- there was a large chorus of boosfrom the crowd as Wynne mentioned hydro rates.

"Liar," one woman shouted.

Liberal float booed in opening parade

Several people also booed the Liberal float as it went by them inthe opening parade.

Wynne suggested that those booing perhaps hadn't yet heard aboutthe new measures she has announced.

"I haven't had a chance to speak to every one of those people inthe crowd and you're right, (there was) mixed reaction," she said.

"I think that there are people who don't yet know whetherthey're going to qualify, whether they will get the reduction we
talked about or they may not know that they may be eligible for a20-per-cent reduction."

'Whoop dee doo'

But those who booed the premier told the The Canadian Press afterthe event that they had all heard about the rebates.

"Whoop dee doo," said Garland Webster, of Thamesville, Ont.

His hydro bill has increased about 35 per cent since Wynne becamepremier, he said.

Eighty-four-year-old Les Gray from Buckhorn, Ont., said therebate "doesn't amount to anything."

"The price of hydro has gone up so much now that us old peoplenow can hardly afford to live in our homes," he said.

"She hasn'tdone a thing about it since she's been in power and I don't expectshe will."

Ron Wright, of Forest, Ont., said the eight-per-cent rebatedoesn't replace the Clean Energy Benefit, which provided a
10-per-cent reduction on electricity bills.

He blamed green energy contracts for why hydro bills are so high.

Hydro rates up 70 per cent from 2006 to 2014

Auditor general Bonnie Lysyk has said the electricity portion ofhydro bills for homes and small businesses rose 70 per cent between2006 and 2014.

The Green Energy Act is driving up rates, she has said. Hydrocustomers will pay a total of $9.2 billion more for wind and solarprojects under the Liberals' 20-year guaranteed-price program forrenewable energy than they would have paid under the old program.

The Liberals have said Ontario's electricity prices were drivenup in large part by their move to stop burning coal to generateelectricity, but believe prices will stabilize once associated costshave been covered.

The rebate, which will cost taxpayers about $1 billion a year, isexpected to save the typical Ontario household about $130 a year,and the government projects additional savings of about $540 a yearfor rural electricity customers.