Re: "Big hydrogen efforts are happening on our doorstep," Opinion, The Gazette, Oct. 27.
Commentary from John Liston, the vice-president of Alberta Enterprise Group, heaped praise on the efforts and hard work of local MLA Dale Nally, associate minister of natural gas and electricity.
MLA Nally has done good work in leveraging the petrochemical incentive program and with the cutting of red tape to attract investment. Where MLA Nally should have applied leadership is in the government's utility payment deferral program.
In the spring of 2020, natural gas and electricity customers could postpone utility bills during the early days of the COVID pandemic. The deferral program has led to unpaid bills of more than $14 million. Now, current good-standing customers are seeing an unfair rate-rider increase in their utility bills to cover this shortfall.
While big things are happening on our doorsteps, walking through the door, one sees families having the burden of balancing their own books and paying more for a government program, all of this against the backdrop of higher inflation.
Daniel Hrycyk, Morinville
