The Ford Government is ending a number of valuable energy conservation programs – particularly those that help homeowners – with a claim that Ontarians don’t need help to save energy.
It says it will save on costs by axing things like incentives for higher efficiency lighting, furnaces and air conditioners. But what it fails to note is that Ontario’s conservation programs have the lowest costs of any option for meeting our energy needs – just 1.7 cents per kWh. Eliminating these programs and the energy savings they generate will just require greater reliance on high-cost nuclear plants, where the cost per kWh will hit 16.5 cents per kWh by 2025.
These actions will hurt consumers without leading to any decrease in electricity costs because energy efficiency is the lowest cost way to meet our energy needs and Ontario’s programs are highly cost effective, generating about $2.50 in savings for every $1 spent.
If the Ford Government is serious about cutting bills it needs to focus on what is really driving up rates – the enormous cost of rebuilding aging nuclear reactors. It could deliver real savings to all Ontario electricity users by closing these dinosaurs and making a deal with Quebec to import low-cost water power. Quebec has repeatedly offered Ontario power at less than one-third the price of electricity from rebuilt nuclear reactors.
Tell your MPP that it makes no sense to take away valuable assistance from consumers while throwing money at bloated nuclear projects.
Thank you.
Angela Bischoff, Director