“I made the decision to cancel two gas plants because it was the right thing to do”.  Dalton McGuinty has taken responsibility for moving the gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga. The former Ontario Premier told the legislature’s justice committee this morning, the plants were too close to schools and homes and people in those communities were right to oppose the gas plants and the Liberal government was wrong.

Progressive Conservative Energy Critic Vic Fideli is on the committee.  He says McGuinty was less than forthcoming about saying “when” he knew the cost of moving the Oakville plant was more than 40-million.  “Why this is so important is because if it’s proved as it has been by the O.P.A., the Ontario Power Authority and the Deputy Minister of Energy, that the Premier and the current Premier knew in advance that 40-million was not the right number, that means every one of their caucus members who stood up in the legislature and told us it’s 40-million knowingly misled the legislature.”

But Premier McGuinty told reporters following his testimony, he did not anticipate the costs would be higher than what he was told.  “What we were trying to do in keeping with my understanding, we were trying to renegotiate new contracts and any outstanding costs, that could not be made part of that contract, would be the responsibility of taxpayers.  So I relied on the Ministry of Energy which largely relied on the Ontario Power Authority.”

The CEO of the Ontario Power Authority testified earlier that the cost of moving the Oakville plant was $310-million, and that everyone in the Liberal cabinet was aware of this.