Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman started an online petition to lower hydro rates earlier this week. Five days later thousands have signed that petition.
Hardeman says he knew people were angry about rising costs, but says he's never seen anything like this. In just a first few hours of posting the petition online, it was shared hundreds of times.
“It is the number one issue and a lot of people if not everybody is concerned about it,” says Hardeman.
The petition calls for a reduction in hydro costs and an end to increases.
In the document posted on-line, the petition says that under the current government electricity rates have risen by over 300 per cent and are forcing people to cut down on essential expenses such as food and medicine in order to pay their electricity bills.
Hardeman says many of his constituents have told him that their mortgage payments now match their hydro bills.
Even die-hard Liberals like Heather McDonald say something has to change.
"When you have to choose between healthy food for your children and keeping and keeping warm the lights on - that's no choice,” says McDonald.
So far, about 3,000 people have signed the document.
Hardeman says he will keep the petition going for as long as people keep singing it.
He says he will then personally present the signatures to the Wynne Goverment.
With reporting from CTV London, Sean Irvine
