At the COP28 negotiations, countries acknowledged for the first time that fossil fuels have got to go – a less than airtight commitment, but a significant milestone nonetheless.
Here in Ontario, Halton Hills Council demonstrated what concrete climate action looks like, rejecting Ontario Power Generation’s plan to construct yet another fossil gas-burning power plant in their community, while stating their support for renewables, storage and conservation. Bravo!
We worked hard to persuade Halton Councillors to bet on better options than burning more fossil fuels. OCAA Chair Jack Gibbons made two powerful presentations to council, and we made sure local residents expressed opposition to their Councillors.
Our work is paying off – with your help!
- We helped to persuade Toronto, Thorold, Kingston, Loyalist Township and Halton Hills to say no to new gas plants.
- We pressured the provincial government into negotiating a multi-year deal with Hydro Quebec to import 600 MW in summer to reduce the need for gas-fired power.
- After repeatedly calling on the province to get back to building renewable power projects, the Ford government is finally launching a competitive procurement process for solar, wind and waterpower.
- Our work to call attention to the financial and climate advantages of heat pumps is now reflected in a provincial program to provide free heat pumps to income-eligible people reliant on electric heating.
It’s progress, but there’s still a long way to go, which is why we need your continued financial help to build support for these critical solutions:
- Importing almost three times more power from Quebec –which we could do with existing transmission lines – would reduce electricity costs and help phase-out gas power;
- Expanding financial support for heat pumps, rather than paying Enbridge Gas millions to expand its gas distribution system, would save homeowners money and reduce emissions.
- Helping people install rooftop solar systems would be better for the planet and our wallets than offering communities millions of dollars to accept polluting gas plants.
- Adopting smart bidirectional charging solutions would allow our EVs to store solar and wind power, and provide it back to the grid during peak demand periods.
- Investing in deep energy efficiency programs would help us avoid the need for new gas and nuclear generation – at a fraction of the cost and pollution.
Thank you, and blessings of the season!