For Immediate Release
March 10, 2025
NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) shared personal stories in the House of Assembly today from people across the province who are struggling with the rising cost of electricity.
From an NDP survey, Dinn heard from residents across the Island who are finding themselves drowning under the cost of living crisis and feel that government is neglecting them. “Some are sitting in the dark, lighting candles, and piling on blankets to keep warm,” Dinn said. “Others are forced to choose between paying for food, their mortgage, or their electricity bill.”
Dinn explains that with housing already in crisis, and people already being pushed to the margins, turning off the power of people who are unable to pay the bill only exacerbates the crisis. “I ask the Minister, has she asked Newfoundland Power not to cut electricity to families and individuals unable to pay the exorbitant power bills?”
“Even with rate mitigation, people’s power bills increased by 2.5% because of Muskrat Falls, in addition to the rate increase approved for Newfoundland Power,” Dinn reminded the House of Assembly.
Dinn continues to call for the removal of HST from all forms of home heating, a long-standing NDP policy that was temporarily adopted by a previous Conservative administration. He says that this would be an immediate help for so many across the province, yet government continues to refuse to entertain the idea.
Dinn asks the Minister, “Despite our calls to remove the HST from home heating, the Minister has been incredibly reluctant to do so. So, I ask the Minister, what will you do to prevent people from descending into energy poverty?”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca
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