'A - The Canadian Champion, Friday, AprIl 21, 2006 OPINION Hydro rate hike no big surprise \\'file las week s ,lnnuun-er hyri frate lue b>, il Ointarioi Fiîergy Boiard (IDEI) inas he a biffer pull lof-fi îne îfsecrs aînd businesses te swallovss; il shiîîlrl surpi ifc tf onfli. Tsse -nd-a-half years after the lIghts f-sent ouf-i ,îcroîs, Milton dtiring the svdespreard blackout iii 2003, f-e drlin seem te be getting the message that we ve heen living ai lie where hydre, rates are cencernied. Wvhei'i the residential hydro rate jumps treta 5 cents tri 5.8 cents per kilowatt-heur next month, we will aIl feel it in ifur wallets, hut will any of us do anythîng te change our hydre consumption habits? Few ef us are getting the message aboet the constant need te conserve. Accerding te the OEB, the long hf-f sumrmer o~f 2005 resulted in more frequent use of air cenditiîfning i Ontarjif homes. That, in turo, required the Profvince te tmport power and uise electi-icity generated by natural-gas powererl plants at a much higher cost than had heen anticipated. The increased energy Lise - paîd fer at the hetischîf d rate of 5 cents per kilowatt-heur - resulted iii a $384-mnillion shortfall, which generated the need for last weeks announced rate hîke. The 5.8-cent rate appiies te the first 600 kilewatt-heitrs used. Beyond that the rate will sear tif 6.7 cents (fermerly 5.8 cents) per kilowatt-heur rintil Nevemnber, when the 5.8-cent rate will be charged for the first 1,000 kilowatt-heurs; - tak- ing into account the number of Ontarie hemes that depend on electrie heating in wunter. For the average Milton homeowner the initial increase will resuit in an additîonal charge of $6.57 per menth. Depending on your hydre use that number corîld actually he higher or lower. Subsidizing the truc cost te supply hydre te our province is what created this hydre mess in the first place. WVe hase only successive provincial gevernments and, by extension, ourseives te blame for todays unstable rates. We suspect that the $ 100 million set asîde te provide one- time rebates of between $60 and $120 for the provinces 1.5 million lowest-income families wdll be spent in short erder. Wben that money lis gene, the most vuinerabie in our secte- ty will be left witb the unenviable prospect of sacrificing fond, clothing and other basic necessities of life in order te keep their ligbts on. If society can't gain control of its gluttonous hydre use, we sbould expeet similar bad news the same time next year - perhaps sonner. Wbat's the best way for a resident tn make bis or ber feelings known when At cornes En aIl of the new developments going up around EowIi? This is a very valid question 1 was e- mailed recently, and one I'd like to, ny to address through this column. For those wbo aren E politicians or municipal staff, the approval process for a developmenE cati be confusing. To keep it simple l'Il use the Town of Milton as an example, bùt the Region and other municipalities ail follow the same type of process. For starters, rnany proposed develop- ments, wheEher it be a subdivision or a new store, bave Eo apply to the Town for a zoning bylaw amendment. So ifsa prôperty is zoned agriculEural and a developer wants En puE up new bornes, the Readers Write,, Send us your lattera to mfltne@haltonseÀarchom or &rop them off at P75 Main St. E. Campbellville would be an ideal site for Canada's littie league hub DEAR EDITOR: and commercial traffic for the region by 1 would like te know if The having basehaîl tournaments every Champion would promote the idea of weekend during the summer. having Campbellville become the cen- Campbellville is an ideal location tre for little league basebaîl competition because lit has a basebaîl heritage and in Canada during the summer months. two close bail parka. The old bail park This would be similar to, the Little could be developed into a little league World Series in Williamsport, stadium. Pennsylvania. This idea would stimulate tourismn P YACKMAN CAMPBELLVILLE zoning would bave to be changed En residen- After the Town bas received ail feeilhack tial. Public meetings are beld for eacb zoning bylaw ametidment. Notice of these meetings is sent En residents wbo live around tIse suhject property and posted on tbe Town's Web site, wwwmil- ton.ca, on the bomne page under tbe 'Public Meetings besding. Frequently cbecking the Town's Web site is a gond way toi stay up-to-date on what proposals are currently being deaît with. The public meeting stage is the best time toi get involved in the democratic process since these forums are held specifically to gatber public iniput. Those who don't bave time toi aEtend can suhmit written comments. staff prepares a report that recommends either approvig or denying the development. In my experience, the report S usually goes before comrniEtee J and councîl anywbere from one to six months after the public j meeting. When the report is on a com- mitEee or council agenda, resi- e dents can register as a delega- tien at that meeting to once agaîn share tbeir tbougbts. Thse registration process to follow can also be found on thse Towns Web site. Tbere's-mucb more toi say, but for now 1 hopre this sbeds some ligbt on thse topic and boosts citizen participation in the democrat- ic process. 875 Main St. E. Milton, Ont. L9T 3Z3 905-878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Adver-tismng Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified-905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 Publisher: Ian Oliver Associate Publisher Heil Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor Karen Smith Production Manager Tim Colas Circulation Manager Charlena Hall Office Manager TE-ri Casas The Canadian Champion, published every Tuesday and Friday at 875 Main St E., Milice, Ont, 191 3Z3 (Box 248), is one cf the Metrcland Pflnting, Publiîhing & Distibiiiing Ltd. coaaunity newipapes. Adviifq 'f isafcpied on f he ciio i ait , in the eveni of a typographficl er ai portfion if tfe ai isf-f sf59 e ocipii~a ed i9 the errifeouf item fgefhe f-ff af i eaisnable f-liese fo, signa to' i ll beI! cèreihff- fr bt he balanef te adiiessement ll be pif r i the appliale rate %s piier resefie ftherg-i fi CCAB Audited Recognized for excellence by o S Newspaper Association The Candia Champio n ligleBef FusA UNITEDi mAY OF MILTON 55 AUCTION Showease Milton- GAI14 Theviewfromhere Citizen Input 101: Getting involved in democratic process - ; , 1 "lut.