Flush out fake news, check politicians’ statements, find the real numbers: our Bureau of Investigation, based in Montreal, Quebec City and Ottawa, specializes in the art of establishing the facts. Every Saturday, our journalists and researchers present their findings to you to allow you to see more clearly in the news of the week.
THE STATEMENT
Deploring the increases in the cost of living on the wallets of Quebecers, opposition members urged the government to act where it can, by freezing hydroelectricity rates. These now follow inflation since the adoption of Bill 34 in the fall of 2019. Hydro-Québec announced a few months ago that rates will be increased by 2.6% on April 1.
Dominique Anglade, leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec, said Tuesday during question period that “the government […] made an insane decision that means that today we are experiencing the highest increase in hydroelectricity rates in almost 10 years. »
FACTS
Dominique Anglade is wrong. Having checked, there have been two increases greater than 2.6% in the last 10 years, namely 4.27% in 2014 and 2.86% in 2015. The average increase during this period was 1.3% .
During the adoption under gag order of Bill 34, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Jonatan Julien, affirmed that it would bring predictability to Hydro-Québec customers.
Many groups had opposed this project in parliamentary committee, in particular because now the Régie de l’Énergie can only decide on hydroelectricity rates every five years instead of every year.
– Marie-Christine Trottier
Number of the week: $9.13 million
This is the amount paid by Quebec for the development of the vaccine passport aimed at controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. At least that is what the details of a contract published on February 18 by the Ministry of Health indicate.
It is the company Akinox Solutions, of Lévis, which obtained the contract, awarded by mutual agreement, under the health emergency. The technology developed by Akinox consists of a mobile application and a QR code confirming adequate vaccine protection against the disease. In effect since September 2021, the vaccine passport aims to limit the spread of the virus causing COVID-19 by restricting access to unvaccinated people to certain public places. In Quebec, its application is scheduled to be suspended on March 14, except for international travel.
– Pascal Dugas Bourdon