A survey commissioned by Ontario's auditor general suggests nearly all ratepayers in the province who heat their home with natural gas want to see the costs of cap-and-trade clearly displayed on their bills.
The Liberal government's cap-and-trade plan that starts next year is expected to add about five dollars a month to home heating costs.
But the Ontario Energy Board decided this summer those costs won't be broken out on natural gas bills, instead they'll be included in the ``delivery'' charge.
The auditor general's office had a survey company ask natural gas ratepayers what they thought, and 89 per cent of respondents wanted those costs in a separate line on their bills.
Energy Minister Glenn Thibeault says the O-E-B is independent and the government respects its authority.
The O-E-B got feedback from 80 stakeholder groups on whether to include a separate line item, and the auditor says 75 of them were in favour of it -- including the gas companies themselves.
Quebec and British Columbia include the cost of carbon pricing as a separate line item on bills.