BC Hydro appears to have missed the lesson learned by those who tried to shove the HST down the throats of British Columbians.
I have a smart meter on the side of my house, and I have no health concerns about it being there.
However, I do object to what residents of B.C. are being told about the advantages to them — such as that it’ll save them money.
That’s only true when day-of-time rates are imposed. Then if folks cook dinner mid-afternoon rather than around 6 p.m. or run the clothes dryer at 11 p.m., they’ll save money.
Seems to me, with support from our provincial government, such utility efforts would be better directed toward alleviating our dependency upon the two aging transmission lines that cross to the mainland, one of which we almost lost in winter a few years back.
What we need desperately are alternate generating options, one of those not being running a gas line underwater from the mainland.
Why not install wind turbines up Island where stiff winds are available? Why not put solar panels on top of commercial buildings and houses where appropriate?
And, why not create some jobs by using some of our resident coal, along with the best current chimney scrubber technology, to produce electricity?
Any added pollution can only be a pittance compared to the levels coming from the approved Alberta tar sands, with that being a pittance compared to what hovers above India and China, perhaps drifting our way.
In Canada, rationally, we should be responsible, but need to strike a proper balance between society’s needs and what best suits our environment.
Don Wilkes
Langford
