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A $64-million program that was helping cash-strapped hospitals save millions on electricity bills is among the provincial programs that have been cut as a result of the scrapping of cap and trade in Ontario.

The Hospital Energy Efficiency Program paid out $64 million to Ontario hospitals in 2017-18 for projects such as motion-activated light sensors that meant lights didn’t have to be left on in storage and other rooms when not in use.

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NDP health critic France Gélinas says the program was a boon to smaller hospitals in particular, many of which are facing deficits and couldn’t afford to put money into work that would help reduce their rising energy bills.

“The program was extremely popular,” said Gelinas. “They got way more requests than they were able to fund.” Applications had already been made by hospitals for the 2018-19 program, which has now been cut.

In recent years, Gelinas said, she has heard from as many as half of the province’s 152 hospitals with serious concerns about increasing electricity costs.