In early October, Prime Minister Trudeau directed the Canada Infrastructure Bank to invest $2.5 billion in projects to support renewable electricity generation and storage and to expand Canada’s east-west electricity grid.
An excellent way to invest some of these funds would be to build a new 20 km transmission line between Ontario and Quebec through Ottawa. This line, which could be built within an existing transmission corridor, would increase our import capacity by 2,000 megawatts for a cost of approximately $80 million.
The increased power import capacity provided by this line would allow Ontario to phase out its gas-fired power plants by 2030 instead of ramping up their greenhouse gas pollution by more than 300%.
An additional benefit would be creating a low-cost way to back up renewable power produced in Ontario. According to a recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, Two Way Trade in Green Electrons, Hydro Quebec’s reservoir system is the lowest-cost, carbon-free back-up option for wind and solar energy.
Phasing out Ontario’s gas-fired power plants by 2030 will provide Ontario with all (or virtually all) of the greenhouse gas pollution reductions that it needs to achieve its 2030 climate target.
More than 45 organizations, including the David Suzuki Foundation and the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, are calling for Ontario to phase-out its gas plants using an integrated combination of energy efficiency investments, Made-in-Ontario wind and solar energy and Quebec water power. You too can sign on here.
What you can do
Please contact Premier Ford and your local MPP here and tell them that you want Ontario to seek funding from the Canada Infrastructure Bank for a new 20 km transmission line that will double our ability to buy low-cost water power from our next door neighbour.
Thanks for making the time.
Angela Bischoff, Campaigns Director