by Yasir Naqvi, MPP, Ottawa Centre
With summer right around the corner, many of us will be thinking about the energy and electricity that will be used to keep cool when the temperature starts to rise. I encourage everyone to consider how we can conserve energy – small changes, like keeping your curtains drawn during the day and washing your laundry in cold water, can make a big difference!
Our government is also committed to developing clean, renewable sources of energy that will provide Ontario with a reliable and sustainable supply of electricity. Ontario is the largest province in Canada, with the biggest industrial and manufacturing base, and we need a modern, stable and clean energy system that supports our growing economy.
Since 2003, we have invested $3.7 billion in the upgrading and diversification of our energy system, bringing over 8,000 new megawatts online – that is more than 20 percent of our current energy capacity, and is enough electricity to power cities the size of Ottawa and Toronto for a year. It also includes 1,400 megawatts of renewable energy, enough to power more than 400,000 homes.
We recently completed the first biannual review of the Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) Program, during which we consulted with families, businesses, First Nations, municipalities and industry. We are now taking immediate steps to ensure the long-term sustainability of renewable energy, while creating more jobs, lowering prices and giving communities a greater say in the process. We are acting quickly to implement all of the recommendations highlighted in the review, which include:
• Reducing prices to balance the interests of all Ontarians, while continuing to encourage investment – FIT prices will be reduced by more than 20 percent for solar and approximately 15 percent for wind, while prices for water, biogas, biomass and landfill gas will remain at current levels;
• Encouraging greater community and Aboriginal participation through a new priority point system, which will also prioritize projects with municipal support;
• Reserving 10 percent of remaining capacity for projects with significant participation from local or Aboriginal communities.
I am proud that our province’s clean energy sector continues to evolve; we are now positioned to become a global leader in clean energy knowledge and products. I am also pleased to see the success of solar microFIT projects right here in Ottawa Centre – we see solar panels on homes, church roofs and businesses. Building a clean energy system is part of our government’s plan to create and support jobs for Ontario families while ensuring we have the electricity we need to power our homes, schools and hospitals.
For more information about green energy in Ontario, please visit ontario.ca/greenenergy or call me at my Community Office at 613-722-6414.