“Ontario’s greenhouse gas pollution will rise sharply in the future – due in part to a return to business as usual post-COVID-19. … If we stick with Doug Ford’s plan, Ontario will not reach its 2030 climate target.” – Ontario Clean Air Alliance
A Call-Out from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, a not-for-profit citizens group advocating for clean air and clean energy solutions
Posted April 28th, 2020 on Niagara At Large
Ontario’s greenhouse gas pollution will rise sharply in the future – due in part to a return to business as usual post-COVID-19, but also because the Ford government plans to ramp up the use of polluting gas plants by more than 400% to replace the Pickering
If we stick with Doug Ford’s plan, Ontario will not reach its 2030 climate target and electricity costs for Ontario consumers will continue to rise as costly nuclear rebuild projects proceed.
Fortunately, our new report, Phasing-Out Ontario’s Gas-Fired Power Plants, outlines a better solution – an integrated combination of clean waterpower imports from Quebec, with strong energy efficiency efforts in Ontario and the development of cost-effective wind power in both provinces.
This combination can supply more than enough energy to keep our lights on while also allowing us to phase out the use of gas-fired electricity.
While the Ford government wants to ramp up more gas-fired energy, Enbridge is pushing to build a controversial pipeline to carry gas from fracking operations in the United States. A section of the line would run through wetlands in the Hamilton, Ontario area.
Quebec has the low-cost renewable power Ontario needs and is keen to sell it to us. Building a new 20 km transmission line (along an existing transmission corridor) in Ottawa will cost but a fraction of what Ontario is planning to spend on nuclear rebuilds, saving us billions of dollars. Plus, Quebec can use its extensive waterpower reservoir system to act like a giant battery to turn intermittent renewable sources like wind and solar into firm 24/7 power.
We don’t need to build a giant new fracked gas pipeline through sensitive natural areas in Hamilton to meet our electricity needs – the better answer is to work with Quebec and to restore energy efficiency programs right here in Ontario.
Report: Read our report for all the details on how we can Phase-Out Ontario’s Gas-Fired Power Plants.
Petition: And sign our petition calling for the phase-out of Ontario’s gas-fired power plants.
Thank you and stay healthy! Please pass this onto your friends.
Angela Bischoff, Director, Ontario Clean Air Alliance
To view the above piece on the Ontario Clean Air Alliance’s website, along with other news, click on –<http://cleanair.hosted.phplist.com/lists/lt.php?tid=iAtlWtXi4daHvsH6FFOx4fpgkYDqVWM3qfvZ1YyGWqPv5ReiPtdrILLcsuTIbS6T>
To learn more about the Enbridge pipeline project, and the petition posted this past January 2020 to stop it from running through a wetland area near Hamilton, click on – Sign the petition to stop the pipeline
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