( Bernard Weil / Toronto Star File Photo )Two political allies of Mayor John Tory are among consultants working with Toronto Hydro on issues related to a proposed privatization of the city-owned utility, the Star has learned. A list of Hydro consultants includes Bob Richardson, Edelman Canada’s executive vice-president for public affairs, who co-chaired Tory’s 2014 campaign, and Nick Kouvalis, co-owner of pollster Campaign Research and a senior strategist in that campaign, sources say. Others include a privatization finance expert who worked on the Ontario government’s Hydro One sale. “I will say in the case of Toronto Hydro we competed (in a process) last May-June to become one of their agencies of record,” for use on contracts, he said. Hydro chief executive Anthony Haines declined an interview request, saying through a spokesman: “The decision to sell any part of Toronto Hydro is the decision of our sole shareholder, the City of Toronto.

Source: thestar October 22, 2016 01:30 UTC