No cut to energy rebate: McGuinty

Premier McGuinty is rejecting another idea from economist Don Drummond, saying he will not end the 10 per cent rebates on electricity bills earlier than scheduled.

McGuinty says the rebates will continue until 2016, when the existing debt retirement charge is supposed to be removed from hydro bills.

The rebates were introduced last year to help people cope with soaring electricity bills.

McGuinty says there’s a huge cost associated with rebuilding Ontario’s aging power grid and the government wants to provide some help.

“We are rebuilding 80 percent of our electricity system over the course of the next 20 years. There is a real cost associated with that.”

“It would have been nice if we’ve been doing it all along. We are doing the job now theres a cost associated with that and we want to help families and businesses manage that.”

McGuinty has already rejected Drummond’s recommendation to scrap full-day kindergarten, but so far hasn’t said how the government will find $1.5 billion a year to pay for it while trying to cut spending.

Video: Brittany Gogo reports: