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COVID-19: Canada Responds
COVID-19: Ontario Premier Doug Ford Announces Lower Hydro Rates – Dec. 22, 2020
In a news conference at Queen’s Park, Ontario Premier Doug Ford provides an update on his government’s response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) pandemic. He announces that Ontario is introducing a discounted off-peak electricity rate of 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour for time-of-use and tiered customers. The new rate will be in place for 28 days starting on January 1, 2021, and it will be applied automatically to bills of all residential, small business, and farm customers who pay regulated rates. The government is also expanding the provincial Support for Learners program, which will allow parents to receive a one-time payment of $200 per eligible secondary school student to help with additional costs due to COVID-19. The premier is joined by provincial cabinet ministers Christine Elliott (health) and Stephen Lecce (education), as well as associate minister Bill Walker (energy) and Dr. Barbara Yaffe (Ontario's associate chief medical officer of health). The update comes as the entire province prepares to enter a lockdown beginning on Saturday, December 26, 2020. Strict public-health measures aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 will remain in place for a minimum of 28 days in southern Ontario and 14 days in northern Ontario. (no interpretation)