Ontario needs to catch up with the rest of the world when it comes to reaping the benefits of low-cost wind and solar power. Wind and solar are now our lowest cost options for supplying electricity to homes and businesses. With the costs of storage options (ie. batteries) also falling rapidly, now is the time for Ontario to make a significant commitment to expanding wind and solar power in this province.
While the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) says it plans to procure up to 5,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy by 2034, this represents only a 30% increase in the province’s renewable energy capacity. We need to be much more ambitious if we are going to adopt climate saving solutions like heat pumps and EVs while also phasing out gas power.
We believe Ontario should embrace the target set at the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai of tripling renewable energy capacity, which Canada alongside 198 countries signed onto in the Global Stocktake.
The lowest cost and fastest way to meet this target in Ontario is by developing our wind and solar power potential, including lifting the moratorium on offshore wind power in the Great Lakes, a source that could meet all our current power needs.
A strong commitment to tripling wind and solar power will lower energy costs, reduce climate damaging emissions, and create jobs across Ontario. As a first step towards achieving the COP28 goal, we are calling on the Ontario government to direct the IESO to triple Ontario’s wind and solar power by 2035.
Signed:
- Association for Canadian Educational Resources
- AWARE Simcoe
- Below2℃
- Biodiversity and Climate Action Niagara
- BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association
- Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
- Canadian Environmental Law Association
- Canadian Health Association for Sustainability and Equity
- Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
- Citizens Climate Lobby Toronto West
- Citizens Climate Lobby Toronto East
- Citizens Climate Lobby Yonge Street
- Citizens Environment Alliance
- Climate Action for Lifelong Learners
- Climate Action Muskoka
- ClimateFast
- County Sustainability Group
- Ecologos/Water Docs
- Ecology Ottawa
- eMERGE Guelph Sustainability
- Environmental Defence Canada
- First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa
- For Our Grandchildren
- For Our Kids Toronto
- Fridays for Future Ottawa
- Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet (GASP)
- Green 13
- Green Sunrising
- Guelph Climate Action Network
- Halton Hills Climate Action
- Hamilton 350
- Leadnow
- Music Declares Emergency Canada
- Noor Cultural Center
- Northwatch
- Ontario Clean Air Alliance
- Ontario Climate Emergency Coalition
- Ontario Nature
- Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
- SCAN – Seniors for Climate Action Now!
- SCAN – Ottawa
- Shift Action for Pension Wealth and Planet Health
- SolarShare Co-operative
- StopPlastics
- Trinity St. Paul’s United Church
- Toronto 350
- Toronto East Residents for Renewable Energy
- Windsor-Essex on Watch (WOW)
- York Region Environmental Alliance
- 50 by 30 Niagara