1) Tonight on Coast to Coast, Dr. Magda Havas
http://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2014/12/13
2) People are seeing huge increases in their Hydro bills. Is this because of rate increases alone, or is this because of $$meters??
Residents getting taste of new hydro rates by Sian Thomson – Campbell River Courier-Islander – December 10, 2014:
– http://www.courierislander.com/news/local/residents-getting-taste-of-new-hydro-rates-1.1658442
I wrote a letter (below) encouraging people to review their consumption history to determine the reason they are paying so much more.
This young family, hit with a huge “equal payment adjustment” is cut off by Hydro:
The McDonald family just wasn’t able to come up with extra money owing on their hydro bill and now face a Christmas without electricity.
– See more at: http://www.courierislander.com/news/local/young-campbell-river-family-has-their-power-cut-off-1.1662723#sthash.XXaTfC02.dpuf
What is truly egregious is that people on equal payment seldom have their meters read so they have no way of knowing that they are exceeding the usage anticipated by Hydro. Then at the end of the year they are hit with a huge bill. How can this be right? – they pay based on Hydro’s estimation and then are hit so hard that they end up being cut off.
A wonderful end to this story when the people of Campbell River pulled together to help this family.
Campbell River comes to rescue of family whose electricity was cut off by Sian Thomson – Campbell River Courier Islander – December 12, 2014:
– http://www.courierislander.com/news/local/campbell-river-comes-to-rescue-of-family-whose-electricity-was-cut-off-1.1663957
3) Richmond has advised people that they will have to accept a wireless $meter for water. Please see an email below from someone in Richmond who is very concerned. This is happening across BC, without consultation or debate. These Neptune meters have been measured and the level of RF and the number of signals emitted is comparable to the Hydro’s $$meters. Why does the water dept. need minute by minute info. about water usage? Is this just one more step in the overall plan to gather as much info. about us as possible? I recommend that people organize and demand an opt out program if nothing else.
4) In Michigan earlier this month there was a great showing at a smeter hearing where more than 200 attended. You can listen to the presentations if you wish. As an aside, for some reason on their website they use a photo of the Coalition’s first rally more than 3 years ago that was held at the Leg. in Victoria.
http://michiganstopsmartmeters.com/2014/12/06/amazing-smart-meter-hearing/
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Letters:
From: Dennis and Sharon Noble [mailto:dsnoble@shaw.ca]
Sent: December 12, 2014 10:05 AM
To: ‘sthomson@courierislander.com‘
Cc: ‘claire.trevena.mla@leg.bc.ca‘
Subject: Hydro rate increases
Dear Mr./Ms. Thomson,
People are seeing their consumption numbers increase dramatically due to their smart meters. In combination with the rate increases, many people are having to choose between heat and food, this in a province where there is surplus electricity being sold for less to the US consumers.
Do the smart meters run fast? Many believe they can be influenced by other emitters of radiofrequency radiation, such as cell towers or wifi modems. All wireless devices are subject to interference. Why should smart meters be the exception?
This will get worse once BC Hydro begins to implement time of use billing. Those who are home all day, young families, the elderly, the infirm, have little choice about using electricity during the ‘peak’ hours. Those living in apartments or condos cannot do washing overnight when the noise would disturb neighbours. These people will see huge increases in rates they pay.
I hope that people will look at their consumption figures and not just the rates to determine if and how smart meters are affecting their bills. If they want to see historical numbers, it is available online at www.bchydro.com under their account. They should look at historical usage by month via “billing graphs” and then select “consumption data table”.
Sincerely,
Sharon Noble
Director, Coalition to Stop Smart Meters
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We live in Richmond, BC.
Recently, we got a door hanger saying the City will be here to install the Water meter in 2-days.
When I started researching on this topic I found out the specs of “smart” water meter seems to be exactly the same as the hydro “smart” meter.
BC hydro installed the smart meter in our house a couple of years ago.
We did not realize that it could be a dangerous EMF emitting device.
That was already installed without our objection and now City of Richmond made the water meter mandatory.
I talked to Andre Knights from Neptune Technology and he insisted that the city by-law have made the water meter mandatory for all single family dwelling and he has every right to install the water meter and I must co-operate. Also, there is only one type of water meter that is being installed currently, the one that sends wireless signal. He says the wireless meter only transmits about the same power as a baby monitor which I now know is not true.
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Sent: December 12, 2014 7:16 PM
To: bcauditor@bcauditor.com
Subject: Reversing the ‘smart’ meter program
Dear Auditor General,
Our family has joined thousands of concerned citizens that have continued to refuse the installation of a wireless BC Hydro smart meter on our property. There are numerous reasons for this which I will not get into within the context of this writing. Needless to say, many of those reasons are now playing out both in Ontario and Saskatchewan, although the province of Saskatchewan at the moment is the only Canadian jurisdiction that has actively stepped in to protect its citizens.
Interestingly, the Auditor General of Ontario has recently released a report which confirms beyond any doubt many of the issues to which we have been expressing our concerns over the past three or more years, and yet here in BC, the government continues to deflect and obfuscate the discussion while continuing to deny that there is any issue—even in the face of direct evidence to the contrary.
On behalf of the citizens of British Columbia, I implore you to please carry out a similar audit in this province. Do we not owe it to our families and loved ones to ensure that we are not being placed into harm, whether it be physically, mentally or financially, due to the lack of due diligence by those that should be accountable for our safety and well-being?
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request. I hope to hear from you.
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From a member in response to the young Campbell River family:
To: “S Harper” <stephen.harper@parl.gc.ca>, “Christy Clark” <premier@gov.bc.ca>, “Bill Bennett” <bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca>
Cc: “Randall Garrison” <randall.garrison@parl.gc.ca>, “Elizabeth May C1” <elizabeth.may.C1@parl.gc.ca>, “James Moore” <james.moore@parl.gc.ca>, “Nycole Turmel” <nycole.turmel@parl.gc.ca>, “Adrian Dix MLA” <adrian.dix.mla@leg.bc.ca>, “Sue Hammell MLA” <sue.hammell.mla@leg.bc.ca>, “Gary Holman” <gary.holman.mla@leg.bc.ca>, “John Horgan MLA” <john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca>, “Maurine Karagianis MLA” <maurine.karagianis.mla@leg.bc.ca>, “Adam Olsen” <leader@greenparty.bc.ca>, “Lana Popham MLA” <lana.popham.mla@leg.bc.ca>, “Andrew Weaver” <andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca>, “Peter Luckham, Chair” <pluckham@islandstrust.bc.ca>, “Peter Grove SSI Local Trustee” <pgrove@islandstrust.bc.ca>, “George Grams SSI Local Trustee” <ggrams@islandstrust.bc.ca>, “David Howe” <directorsgi@crd.bc.ca>, “Wayne McIntyre” <directorssi@crd.bc.ca>
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2014 6:22:33 PM
Subject: [BC Hydro – Bills – Campbell River, BC] Young Campbell River family has their power cut off “We are just a young family trying to get by.” by Sian Thomson – Campbell River Courier-Islander – December 12, 2014
How many more people in BC is this going to happen to? Grocery money for electricity.
Why couldn’t Bobby Barrett transfer his BC Hydro credit of $450 to the young family? It’s his money.
This is disgraceful and the BC Government should be ashamed that they are allowing this to happen!
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