(Quebec) While small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Quebec are seeing their electricity bills increase by 6.5%, interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay is asking the Legault government to simply cancel this increase.
« [Cette hausse] adds to the burden on our entrepreneurs and SMEs who are facing rising costs, pandemic-related debt and labor shortages,” said Mr. Tanguay in an interview with The Canadian Press. .
“What we are very clearly asking for is to cancel the increase for both individuals and SMEs,” he adds.
The increases in hydroelectricity tariffs have been effective since Saturday. On February 15, the National Assembly passed Bill 2, which notably allows the price indexation rate of Hydro-Québec’s domestic distribution rates to be capped at 3%. This cap does not apply to SMEs.
I underline the inconsistency of the government which says: “For individuals it will be 3%, but SMEs will manage with inflation at 6.5%”. And that, we denounce.
Marc Tanguay, interim Liberal leader
He believes that this will also have an impact on consumers and on inflation, and he asserts that “73 of SMEs are reduced to transferring their additional costs into their prices.
The Minister of Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, opened the door on Friday to help for SMEs that will need it; nothing to convince the Liberal leader, however.
SMEs are exhausted and we see that the super Minister of the Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, washes his hands of it.
Marc Tanguay, interim Liberal leader
The increase is also criticized by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), which is asking the government to cap the indexation of electricity rates at 3% for SMEs and households. There are fears that the increased tariffs will weaken the economy at a time when several SMEs are emerging from the pandemic.
Marc Tanguay reiterated that hydroelectricity rates should be frozen and the power to set future increases should be given back to the Régie de l’énergie du Québec.
