The MPP for Essex is calling for a hydro rebate for residents when there is a power outage.
Taras Natyshak introduced a motion last week in the legislature that in the event of more than three unplanned outages in a single billing period, the homeowner would get a rebate on the delivery charge of their hydro bill.
Natyshak calls the outages a disruption to people's lives. "It is at chronic levels. These folks live with unplanned outages affecting their lives at any given time, it doesn't have to be weather related."
He says he's heard repeated complaints from people living in Harrow, Amherstburg, McGregor and Colchester about unplanned power outages from flickers to hours at a time.
"It's a reasonable motion," says Natyshak. "One that puts the power literally back into the hands of the people because as we see our system becoming more and more privatized and less accountability and transparency within the system, people start to feel as though they have no recourse."
He believes the motion would also encourage electricity suppliers to make capital investments. "It would provide a disincentive for utility companies to not make the upgrades that they need to make so we don't have any outages," he says.
Although there is an election a month away, Natyshak says this puts the motion on the 'order paper' which he plans to pick up again if he is re-elected.