Peter H. O'Dell
Assistant Board Secretary
Ontario Energy Board
27th. Floor
2300 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M4P 1E4
Tel: 416-440-7605
Fax: 416-440-7656
Email: Peter.ODell@oeb.gov.on.ca


-----Original Message-----
From: Abe Huebner [mailto:ahuebner@vaxxine.com]
Sent: 2007 June 14 16:05
To: BoardSec
Subject: Enbridge Gas & Union Gas 2008 Rates

Date, June 14/07
Attn. Ms Kirsten Walli

c/o Ontario Energy Board
P.O. Box 2319
2300 Young St. 27 Floor
Toronto, Ont. M4P 1E4

Your notice in the "St. Catharines, Standard" June 8/07 got my attention. The notice was about the companies "Enbridge & Union Gas Companies" rates for 2008.
I being in the energy business as an Ontario Certified Gas contractor, fitter, supplier, and installer have several questions for the "Board of Energy"
One question is that according to the observation in the field and reading of construction, and retrofit homes and other venues like TV as well as what I received in the Canada Post the vehicles of monopolizing this gas energy commodity of this particular energy is alarming.
Getting upset isn't the proper description of what I am writing about.Bullying is probably a more accurate English word.
It is more correct to say that whenever twelve months have passed there is this price increase, Yes I understand that there are other companies that are selling this same commodity. Home owners are very skeptical about these Companies that we don't really know much about. Sales person come knocking on doors saying that they represent So & So Company. Usually they come after 5 PM. or on the weekend. We have no way of knowing about these agents to verify through the "Better Business Bureau" whether they are who they say they are or not.
Monopolies on a commodity and bullying get me skeptical nervous about large corporate companies.
I am concerned about prices we pay and whether the Company will stay in business or whether they will declare bankrupt or go into receivership.If it is legitimist or not.
I am very concerned about the location of the gas and where it needs to get to to heat our homes & businesses.
Do I have a reasonable question here about the above concerns.
What protection has the home-owner have of getting gouged
and if I can't pay my monthly bill will the gas be turned off.
The "Ontario Power Authority" or my city " Public Utilities" has a vehicle or program taking care of this particular issue.
The electricity is not just turned off because some home-owner can't pay his or her bill.
I believe there should be an independent department to help guard against this particular topic.
There should be an assessment of the situation before the person purchase their own home or apt. It should be rated according to the income of the property ownership, as well as if the owner has lost his job or income or place of work.
In situation where the home owner had nothing to do with loosing his job or the company he or she had worked for more than a certain number of years.has gone out of business, sold out to another company, or taken over by a hostile takeover. Too many families have lost their incomes, home and properties of no fault of their own.
Another question that I am concerned about is that large corporations seem to have just one aim in mind and that is to make a profit for their shareholders or investors at costs to the consumer.
I believe that the Enbridge Gas Co. has too much free regeine in the gas market and that the smaller locale contractors need to be given the same level corporate opportunities. When the "Enbridge Gas Co." can advertise on the television no payments for two years if a home owner buys an air Conditioner or furnace, then I see this notice in the "St. Catharines Standard" hearing for a price change that may affect me, my neighbor, It just isn't easy to take any more. Free for two years for some and I need to pay my supplier within thirty day's or less if I purchase or pick-up my air conditioner or furnace.
It is so obvious the bigger the company the bigger the give aways.
I can't support this price increase after reading and seeing these ads. in the media.
Home owners can rent an appliance for a modest amount for one month.No large amount of money upfront. Why would a home owner ever come to my company an pay for the appliance and installation if they can get these unbelievable opportunities. e.g. 50 Us gallon hot water gas heater. Purchase price $800.00 installation another $700.00 PST taxes is $64.00 Add the tank and labour $1500.00 plus GST $90.00 total sum is $1654.00. Rent guess is $23.00 per month so in 72 months the home owner has paided for the tank. Now after that the Utilities Gas is making a profit. Which independent company can do that. Not me.
I believe there is something about this rate increase that puzzles me and better described frustrates and angers me.
Another vehicle or program that the gas company can do is guarantee an insurance policy that the home owner doesn't need to worry about their furnace not working if they buy this policy of so much more increase on their gas bill.
e.g. $125.00 a year. The utilities is already sending out these invoice as a gas bill and now the home owner can purchase this guarantee.
The gas company can collect this amount long before or if ever they will ever have to go down to the house.
I spoke to a new hown owner who had already purchased this insurance even before he had even moved in. I told him for the next year all of his appliances are guarantied to operate without needing to purchase this insurance and up to five year there is a likely hnoof that any of his appliances will need repairs. some service I agree needs to be done. But a break down is highly improbable.
The monies is collected upfront and invested long before it needs to be used if ever.
I believe here we as independent contractor have an obligation to our community and that is the go and repair broken down appliances no matter who calls and when. I can't shut off the gas if a party doesn't pay.
The utilities can say to the nonpaying customer we will shut off your gas if your don't pay. What if I had a lever to use like that if someone didn't pay me for my services and parts. This is a great advantage that the gas companies have that I don't have.
I feel sometimes that I need to work with one arm tied behind my back, while utilities have more advantages than I do.
There are many commercial and practically all industrial companies that I can't go and do business with, even though we are an free country, and democratic. I am beginning to question the above statement more and more as I get older.
I use to be a gas utilities dealer. The last time I was at a meeting about renewing my dealership there must have been at least three hundred gas contractors at the meeting.
The MC told us if we had any question any time they would answer them. The MC with at least five or six others were on the podium. So after a short time into the meeting I put up my hand and asked when would the day begging as regular hour rates and when did over time start.
Good question the MC replied, while at the same time glancing over to the other six person on the podium. NO Reply of any of them. In complete opposite of what he had just said not twn minutes ago. Other contractors asked question and they were answered. At the end of the meeting I still had my hand up waiting for a reply. After answering all of the other contractors questions and after the food was being served and there was no one paying any attention to the MC he told me. The regular day started at 7AM and ended at 10PM. Rocket science math was not needed to figure out this answer as far as I was concerned.
I didn't want to be working while my family was home in the evening. The other part was which home owner can afford to stay away from making wages and going or staying home for the gas repair man. Most home owner can/t. But they can call up after they get home form work and get a repair man for over time and the repair person gets regular wages.
Just plain bulling as far as the Utilities is concerned no other word to describe it.
So I didn't sign up and haven't been a gas utilities contractor since.But I still am a Certified by the Ontario Universities & Colleges as a qualified gas fitter.

Abe J Huebner