Cottage owners in Lake of the Woods could face increase to their hydro bills

Cottage owners in Lake of the Woods are up in arms over a proposed increase in hydro rates.

The Ontario Energy Board wants to get rid of the seasonal rate class for property owners which would result in a spike in electricity bills.

That doesn’t sit well with Diane Schwartz-Williams, the executive director of the Lake of the Woods District Stewardship Association, which represents just under 3,000 families.

She says under the proposal, cottage owners could see an increase of between $1,000 and $1,200 beginning in 2020.

Schwartz-Williams tells 680 CJOB her association is carefully looking over the board’s reasons for cutting the seasonal rate.

In a statement, the board says its proposal to move the seasonal rate to another class is based on density, adding the charge to seasonal customers is not reflective to the cost of serving them.

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