Ontario can become a climate leader again

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins

We need your financial support today to help Ontario become a climate leader once again by moving to a renewable future while lowering our electricity bills.

In an era of rapid change, the Ontario Government seems more interested in taking this province backwards than forwards. It has torn up renewable energy contracts, cancelled incentives for electric vehicles, introduced a new climate plan that doesn’t add up and dropped rebates for home and school retrofits, all while doubling down on high-cost 1950’s nuclear technology. And their latest push for SMRs (small modular reactors) promises to waste more billions of dollars while delaying real climate action.

The Ontario Clean Air Alliance has been working hard to ensure that the people of Ontario understand the true costs of these backward decisions. We have documented the steadily rising cost of nuclear electricity and the cost savings available from making a deal with Quebec. We have pushed for retention of strong energy conservation programs and opposed building more high-cost nuclear projects. We have built a case for the community benefits of moving away from nuclear – from stopping the build-up of dangerous radioactive waste to opening up lands for waterfront revitalization in Pickering.

The nuclear industry is used to having the government’s ear to itself and is very worried about any unbiased examination of the true costs of nuclear power. It is particularly alarmed about any consideration of increased cooperation with Quebec, knowing it simply has no way of offering similar benefits – from price to reliability. 

But with your support we’ll continue to use our respected research to show how Ontario – and our climate – can benefit from a system that combines high levels of energy efficiency, cost effective made-in-Ontario green energy, and water-power imports from Quebec. We will use our powerful outreach to engage Ontarians in asking why the government refuses to look at the true cost of nuclear projects while bashing lower-cost green energy.

And with your help, we will continue to build our vision of a 100% Renewable Ontario.

Please support this critical work by making a charitable donation: click here now.

We also ask that you consider becoming a monthly donor; monthly donations help us maintain consistent funding and help you budget your giving and its impact throughout the year.

Together, we can ensure Ontario embraces a renewable future!

With appreciation,

Jack Gibbons, Chair          
Angela Bischoff, Director

Pickering wants its waterfront back

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Nuclear

Making the right choiceOur community meeting in Pickering this week made one thing clear – Pickering wants its waterfront back.

The people of Pickering have lots of ideas about how the 600-acre site of the Pickering Nuclear Station could be re-purposed once the plant closes in 2024 – from restoring natural habitat and marshes to developing renewable energy generation. What they don’t want is to wait 30 years to begin the process of dismantling the plant and moving its highly radioactive waste to a safer location.

Pickering MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy is an important minister in the Ford government. We are calling on Mr. Bethlenfalvy to use his influence to speak about the desire of the people of Pickering to see the nuclear station immediately dismantled after closure. As Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG’s) only shareholder, the Government of Ontario can order OPG to adopt the global best practice of immediate dismantling.

Please sign our petition calling on Minister Bethlenfalvy to support immediate dismantling. And please ask your friends and neighbours to do so too. After hosting the 8-reactor station for 53 years, the people of Pickering shouldn’t have to wait until 2064 for an opportunity to revitalize their waterfront.

Sign the petition now!

Thank you.

– Angela Bischoff, Director

Friendly reminder – Tuesday meeting in Pickering

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Nuclear

This is a friendly reminder about the meeting to discuss the future of the Pickering Nuclear site: 

Tues. Nov. 19th, 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30)
at the George Ashe Community Centre, Russell Franklin Room, 470 Kingston Road.
RSVP here.

If you can’t attend, you can watch the event livestreamed here. The video of the event will also be archived here for later viewing.

We hope to kickstart a community conversation about revitalizing the 600-acre waterfront site currently occupied by the Pickering Nuclear Station. We are pleased that Councillor Maurice Brenner will be joining us to give opening remarks.

After shutdown in 2024, OPG plans to let the station sit idle for 30 years before dismantling it, despite the fact that the International Atomic Energy Agency says that immediate dismantling is “the preferred decommissioning strategy” for nuclear plants.

By immediately dismantling the Pickering nuclear station after shutdown in 2024, we can allow most of its 600-acre waterfront site to be returned to the local community by 2034 for parkland, recreational, facilities, dining, entertainment, housing and offices.

Have a look at what Mississauga has planned for the former site of the Lakeview Coal-fired generating station and think of what Pickering could do with its waterfront. 

Mississagua’s new waterfront

Come out and learn more. Share your ideas. Join the discussion.

For more info, read our report here or review a summary here.

And invite your friends. Thanks.

– Angela Bischoff, Director

Don’t look

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, General, Nuclear

As the Ford government flails away at cutting electricity costs, its new plan is to have a consultant review existing electricity generation contracts – with the exception of the ones that are at the heart of rising electricity rates.

The government has decided that its consultant will not be allowed to look at the multi-billion-dollar Bruce Power contract that covers the rebuilding of six aging reactors on the shores of Lake Huron. Nor will he or she be allowed to look at the costs of the multi-billion-dollar Darlington Re-Build project. This is like looking at how to cut your expenses without looking at your credit card bill.

This plan once again highlights how the government’s biases are blinding it to real cost-saving opportunities, like importing low-cost water power from Quebec and investing in energy efficiency.

According to our Three Options to Reduce Ontario’s Electricity Costs report, we can reduce our electricity costs by up to $6 billion per year by importing Quebec power and investing in energy efficiency instead of re-building nine aging nuclear reactors.

We don’t need a blinkered paper-pushing exercise. We need to move away from high-cost nuclear and adopt sensible energy solutions if we are serious about lowering bills.

Please contact Premier Ford (premier@ontario.ca and cc me) and ask him to direct his consultant to look at all the options to reduce our electricity costs, including reducing our dependency on high-cost nuclear power.

Please pass this message on to your friends.

Thank you!

Angela Bischoff, Director

 

Fraser Institute is not telling the truth

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Nuclear

In its latest “fun with numbers” report, the Fraser Institute claims that renewable energy is the single largest cause of Ontario’s rising electricity rates. This is simply not true.

The truth is clearly stated in the Ontario Energy Board’s (OEB) Regulated Price Plan Price Report (October 22, 2019) which shows that nuclear power is the single largest cause of our rising electricity rates. Specifically, according to the OEB report, nuclear power is responsible for 45% of the rise in the price of electricity generation. Wind and solar generators are responsible for 15% and 13% respectively of our rising electricity generation costs.

Let’s be clear. The real story is that Bruce Power’s and Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) nuclear rates have risen by 84% and 109% respectively between 2002 and 2019.

To add insult to injury, according to OPG, its price of nuclear power must rise by an additional 83% to 16.5 cents per kWh by 2025 to pay for the Darlington Re-Build.

While OPG is at least transparent about its future rate increases, Bruce Power and the Government of Ontario are refusing to state what Bruce Power’s annual rate increases will be pursuant to its 49-year sole-source contract negotiated with Premier Wynne’s government in 2015.

If Premier Ford wants to keep his promise to lower our electricity costs by 12%, he must say “yes” to Hydro Quebec’s repeated offer to sell us water power at a price of 5 cents per kWh. It doesn’t make sense to re-build 10 aging nuclear reactors when we can import clean, safe, renewable electricity from our next-door neighbour at less than one-third the cost.

Please sign our petition asking Premier Ford to make a deal with Quebec to lower our electricity bills:www.BuyQuebecPower.ca.

Thank you.

Angela Bischoff, Director

What do you think about the PIckering waterfront?

General

Pickering waterfrontWe sent you a bulletin last week: Revitalizing the Pickering Waterfrontto share with you our proposal for ‘immediate dismantling’ of the Pickering nuclear station after shutdown in 2024. This is an exciting opportunity to revitalize a 600-acre site on Pickering’s waterfront. But if OPG gets its way, the plant will be left sitting idle for 30 years, creating an eyesore rather than an opportunity.

Have your say about what should happen with this prime waterfront site.

We’re hosting a public meeting on:

    Tues. Nov. 19th, 7 – 9 p.m. (doors at 6:30)
    George Ashe Library & Community Centre, 470 Kingston Rd.

Please register your attendance here.

Please share the Facebook event with your friends.

For more info, go here.

And read our report: Making the Right Choice for Pickering’s Waterfront. 

We’re planning some leaflet leaflet blitzes out in Pickering, poppingthis flier in people’s mailboxes. If you can help with this distribution in the next two weeks, either by joining a blitz or on your own time in your own neighbourhood, please let me know – I’ll set you up.

Thanks for your help getting the word out. Hope to see you on the 19th.

With appreciation,

Angela Bischoff, Director

 

Making the Right Choice for Pickering’s Waterfront

General

The Pickering Nuclear Station takes up 600 acres of prime waterfront real estate in the City of Pickering.  When North America’s 3rd oldest nuclear station closes in 2024, this means that there will be an exciting chance for the people of Pickering to revitalize their waterfront – and their community. But that will only happen if OPG does the right thing and begins dismantling the 53-year-old plant as soon as it closes.

Immediate decommissioning is strongly recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and has been successfully carried out at a number of closed plants in the United States, France, Germany, Spain and Italy.  OPG, however, says it wants to wait 30 years to begin the process of taking apart Pickering, leaving a mothballed hulk on the Pickering waterfront until at least 2064.

This short report outlines the benefits of immediately dismantling the Pickering Nuclear Station after closure and the need for more secure storage of the significant amounts of radioactive waste produced over the half-century of operations at the plant.

Read the report.

Revitalizing the Pickering waterfront

Bulletins, Nuclear

The Pickering Nuclear Station takes up 600 acres of prime waterfront real estate in the City of Pickering. When North America’s 3rd oldest (and 5th largest) nuclear station closes in 2024, the people of Pickering can revitalize their waterfront – and their community. But that will only happen if Ontario Power Generation (OPG) does the right thing and begins dismantling the 53-year-old plant as soon as it closes.

‘Immediate dismantling’ is strongly recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and has been successfully carried out at a number of closed plants in the United States, France, Germany, Spain and Italy.  OPG, however, says it wants to wait 30 years to begin the process of taking apart Pickering, leaving a mothballed hulk on the Pickering waterfront until at least 2064.

Delaying dismantling may be in OPG’s financial interest – allowing it to leave decommissioning funds in the bank – but it certainly is not in the interests of the community. Nor is there any safety justification for such a delay. If OPG can rebuild reactors in operating nuclear stations, it can take apart idled reactors using the same technology. Immediate dismantling also allows current workers to be involved in the decommissioning process and to apply their knowledge of this one-of-a-kind plant. That will not be the case three decades from now.

In the west end of the GTA, Mississauga is well underway with creating a whole new community on the site of what was the Lakeview coal-fired generating station (also an OPG plant). The same sort of community renewal could take place in Pickering if OPG follows the IAEA’s advice and immediately dismantles the Pickering Nuclear Station after closure. For the thousands of people now living around the station, it’s a choice between new green space, neighbourhoods and businesses, or three decades of looking at a desolate concrete shell on their waterfront.

Please click here to read our new report: Making the Right Choice for Pickering’s Waterfront. Or learn more here.

We’re holding a public meeting in Pickering to kick off a community conversation of what could be done with this prime waterfront site. Join us on Tuesday Nov. 19th at the George Ashe Community Centre, 470 Kingston Rd. in Pickering. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Meeting starts at 7 p.m.  Register to attend here. Learn more, share your ideas, join the discussion.

Please pass this message on to your friends and neighbours.

Angela Bischoff, Director

p.s. If you can help distribute leaflets or posters for the event in the Pickering/Ajax area, please let me know.

Ford’s bill changes won’t save you a dime

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins

The Ford government thinks playing with your hydro bill layout – by breaking out the large provincial subsidy introduced by the Wynne government – will make you feel better about electricity costs. But what they’re not transparent about is their failure to deliver on their promise to cut electricity bills by 12% – on the contrary, rates have actually increased.

Hydro billWhat would really make people feel better would be if the government ACTUALLY REDUCED BILLS instead of merely playing with the look of our hydro bills. It can do that by taking Quebec up on its repeated offer to sell Ontario low-cost water power to replace nuclear power that costs 3 times as much.

It’s time for the Ford Government to stop protecting our bloated nuclear industry and instead make a sensible deal for some of the lowest-cost power available anywhere – water power from Quebec.

Tell your MPP (and cc me) that you don’t just want more transparency, you want actual savings.

Thanks for making the time.

Angela Bischoff, Director

 

Coal is gone, gone, gone

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Coal

Last month, Ontario Power Generation (OPG) completed the demolition of what was once the largest coal-fired electricity generation plant in the world – the Nanticoke station on Lake Erie.

For decades, Ontarians (and our neighbours to the south) lived under the plume of heavy metals, smog-building NOx and SO2, and dangerous particulate matter pumped out in the millions of tonnes each year by this gigantic polluter.

In 1997, the Ontario Clean Air Alliance began its campaign which led to the closure of Nanticoke and Ontario’s four other dirty coal-fired generating stations as a way to reduce air pollution and the enormous climate impact of this 19thcentury approach to energy production.

It was a long, hard fight but by 2002 all major provincial parties had agreed that coal had to go. It took another twelve years of documenting the harm being done by burning coal and the benefits of cleaner alternatives, but finally in 2014 Ontario was officially coal free – the first jurisdiction in the world to turn off coal due to health and environmental concerns.

Nanticoke demolished

We’re now using the same effective approach we applied to getting rid of dirty coal to moving Ontario to a 100% renewable energy future. This can’t happen soon enough with evidence of the dangers of climate change growing daily. Meanwhile, OPG, while trumpeting its conversion of the Nanticoke site to a solar farm, just purchased four giant gas-fired power plants and is rebuilding the high-cost Darlington Nuclear station.

We need your support to keep our mighty efforts going. Your donation supports the kind of research and advocacy that moved Ontario away from coal. Help us complete the journey to a 100% renewable future by making a donation today!

Thank you!

Angela Bischoff, Director and Jack Gibbons, Chair

Tell the Ford government where to put its stickers

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins

Tax carbon, get refund, repeatThe Ford government insists it is all about putting money in your pocket. So why does it keep taking money out?

The provincial government is currently wasting thousands of tax dollars on blatantly misleading stickers about the federal carbon levy, and it is insisting all gas stations install these stickers on their gas pumps – or be fined $10,000 a day.

Of course, Ontarians are only paying the federal levy because the Ford government cancelled the provincial cap-and-trade program. Furthermore, its stickers fail to point out that the vast majority of Ontarians will receive a carbon tax credit that is higher than the added costs created by the federal levy.

This is a situation that cries out for a pointed response. Fortunately, some of our friends have created some stickers of their own to help you do just that. At carbontaxworks.ca you can order FREE stickers, and download some catchy messages to share on social media about the need for real action on climate change.

Let’s tell the Ford government we need fewer stickers and more action when it comes to climate change.

Angela Bischoff, Director

 

Wheels coming off on Darlington rebuild project

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins

It’s starting. The inevitable delays and cost overruns that have plagued every nuclear project in Ontario’s (and much of the world’s) history are now well underway with the Darlington re-build project.

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has admitted that it is behind schedule on its first reactor rebuild with the usual excuses about supplier delays and other “issues”. And while claiming the project is on budget, we know that this is only true if you accept OPG’s creative accounting, including ignoring a $300 million cost overrun in the preliminary stages of the project.

It’s no surprise, then, that previous CEO and nuclear booster Jeff Lyash pulled the plug on his job with OPG just months before the costly legacy of his multi-billion dollar bet on refurbishing four aging and outdated reactors is becoming clear.

New CEO, Ken Hartwick, has quickly doubled down on OPG’s high-cost strategy, buying four giant gas plants and starting the wheels turning on approvals for four new reactors at Darlington. This emissions-heavy and high-risk mega-project strategy is exactly what Ontario power consumers do not need in an era of a rapidly unravelling climate. OPG seems sadly stuck in some 1950s’ time warp where dreams of “atoms for energy” kept politicians starry eyed until they started to see the true costs.

The Ford government talks a lot about the “mess” made by the previous provincial government when it comes to our electricity system. If OPG gets its way, the mess will be uncontainable with an outdated, hugely costly and inefficient system that locks Ontario into an incredibly expensive nostalgic daydream while the rest of the world moves forward with dynamic, responsive renewable energy systems.

Please email Energy Minister Greg Rickford (greg.rickford@pc.ola.org) and tell him to direct OPG to move away from its mega-project fixation and to start building a modern energy system instead that includes hefty increases in energy conservation and Quebec renewable power imports.

Also, be sure to sign our petition calling for a 100% renewable Ontario, and order your FREE leaflets here to distribute to friends and neighbours.

And please consider making a donation to Ontario Clean Air Research.

Thanks for your help!

Angela Bischoff, Director   

 

Have you heard the hum?

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins

There’s a hum in the air – one that seems to get a little louder each summer. It’s air conditioning season and many people’s electricity bills will be climbing as temperatures soar.

So what happened to that 12% cut in hydro bills that Premier Ford promised more than a year ago? Absolutely nothing. In fact, the Ford government has stubbornly stuck with one of the worst decisions of the former government – doubling down on high-cost nuclear power instead of taking Quebec up on its offer to sell us low-cost water power.

Instead of seizing this chance to save billions of dollars, the government is busy slashing away at everything from education and libraries to health care and autism funding. Our new pamphlet is aimed at telling Ontarians that we don’t have to silently endure these painful cuts. We have a much better option – save billions by signing up for Quebec power at one-third the cost of power from rebuilt reactors.

The world is rapidly moving from nuclear and Ontario’s stubborn refusal to read the writing on the wall is also going to be costly for our economy – not to mention putting a big roadblock in front of efforts to address climate change. We spell out why in our second new pamphlet that calls on the Ford government to get with the times and embrace a 100% renewable future.

Please help us distribute these great new pamphlets to your Ontario friends, family, coworkers and communities. They’re free! Order them here. Thanks for helping us get the word out.

No need for cuts

 Will Ontario be left behind?

 

 

 

 

 

Angela Bischoff, Director

Quebec has an offer Ontario can’t refuse – forever

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Nuclear

Once again this week, the Ontario government turned up its nose at an offer of low-cost power from its neighbour. Despite failing to make any progress on his promise to reduce electricity costs by 12%, Premier Ford told his Quebec counterpart that he was not interested in a deal that would provide power at one-third the cost of power from rebuilt reactors.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault isn’t giving up, however. He astutely predicts that once Ontario starts seeing the real costs of nuclear rebuilds, it will be a lot more interested in what Quebec has to offer.

Quebec has a large and growing electricity surplus and the lowest power costs in North America. Ontario is already in a position to import a significant amount of power from Quebec, and upgrading our transmission capacity to bring in enough power to replace all of the Darlington Nuclear Station’s production 24/7/365 would cost much, much less than rebuilding one reactor.

Premier Ford says he is focused on making life affordable for Ontarians. So why is his government following in the footsteps of its predecessors by ignoring what Quebec has to offer while subsidizing expensive nuclear projects?

Please email the Premier <doug.ford@pc.ola.org> and tell him it’s time to get serious about reducing electricity costs by making a deal with Quebec.

Thank you for making the time.

Angela Bischoff, Director

What is Bruce Power so afraid of?

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Nuclear

The nuclear industry likes to claim that it provides a great deal for the people of Ontario. So why is Bruce Power so afraid of letting us know what the cost of power will be from the reactors it wants to spend billions of dollars re-building?

In mid-May, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario ordered the Government of Ontario to provide the Ontario Clean Air Alliance with a forecast of how much the price of Bruce Power’s nuclear electricity will increase during each year from now until 2064.  You’d think Bruce Power would be delighted to reveal what a bargain it is providing Ontario’s electricity consumers, given all its advertising about its sensational product.   Instead, it is appealing the Commissioner’s decision and fighting tooth and nail to keep its future prices secret.  

If Bruce Power has such a great deal to offer the people of Ontario, it should be happy to make all the details public, just as renewable energy suppliers do.  Even Ontario Power Generation (OPG) provides details on its future prices.  Of course, OPG’s story isn’t a good one for the nuclear industry, with prices doubling thanks to its Darlington rebuild project.  

Bruce Power should drop its appeal and come clean on the future price increases for its nuclear energy. 

Please pass this message on to your friends.

There’s a better way to balance Ontario’s budget

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins

The Ford government has been busy slashing spending on everything from public health to class sizes to energy conservation programs. In all, its reductions to date add up to at least $1.8 billion.

Meanwhile, it will borrow $4.3 billion per year to continue the previous government’s artificial subsidy of electricity prices.

Is this the best way to balance the province’s books?

Our new factsheet compares the government’s cuts to what it could save by making a deal with Quebec for low-cost water power.

We calculate that by using low-cost Quebec water power instead of spending billions rebuilding old nuclear plants, the government could save up to $3.7 billion per year. That’s a lot of daycare spaces secured, school roofs fixed and art programs saved.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault has made no secret of the fact that he would love to make a deal with Ontario to sell it some of his province’s huge surplus of low-cost power. So why is the Ford government so determined to slash spending on everything but bloated nuclear projects?

If you think the Ontario Government needs to get its budget priorities straight, please contact the Premier and tell him to focus on the real savings – Quebec water power to replace Ontario’s high-cost nuclear sector.

Email: doug.ford@pc.ola.org; phone 416-325-1941; cell 416-805-2156. (And please cc me: angela@cleanairalliance.org.)

Thank you.

Angela Bischoff, Director

The 2019 Ontario Budget: Does it really protect what matters most?

Building a clean, green grid, Factsheets, Publications

According to Ontario’s Minister of Finance, Vic Fedeli, his provincial budget protects “what matters most to Ontario individuals, families and businesses.” But is this really true?

The Government of Ontario is proposing to reduce spending on public health, education, social, environmental and energy conservation programs by approximately $1.9 billion per year, while continuing to borrow $4.3 billion per year to subsidize electricity costs.  A much more sensible solution would be for the government to make a deal with Quebec to import low-cost water power, which would save us up to $3.7 billion per year.  There is no need to cut the programs Ontarians depend upon — as our factsheet explains, we can cut electricity costs instead.

Sign our petition calling on the Ford Government to cut electricity costs instead of public services.

 

 

Premier Ford: Cut my bill!

General

Premier Ford has pledged to cut our hydro bills by 12%. Here’s how he can do it: Buy low-cost water power from our neighbours in Quebec.

Quebec has a huge power surplus and is eager to sell more electricity to Ontario. In fact, it has offered to sell us lots of electricity at less than one-third the price of re-building the aging Darlington Nuclear Station. The difference is billions of dollars.

Ontario Power Generation says it will need to double its price of nuclear electricity to pay for the Darlington re-build. Fast-rising nuclear power costs mean higher bills for all power users in Ontario.

If we make a deal with Quebec, we can lower our electricity prices instead of seeing our power bills go through the roof.

Premier Ford, lower our hydro bills by 12% by making a deal for low-cost water power from Quebec.

Please sign the petition in the box below.  You can add your own comments by clicking on the “Read the Petition” link and editing the message.

Making a deal with Quebec is the smart power option

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Sign Now
3,801 signatures

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Signatures
3,801 Kevin Chung Pickering Dec 06, 2019
3,800 pierre leroux mallorytown Dec 02, 2019
3,799 Carol Cooke Ottawa Nov 28, 2019
3,798 Marlene Spruyt SSM Nov 24, 2019
3,797 Linda Belton Mindemoya Nov 23, 2019
3,796 Barbara Erskine Kagawong Nov 22, 2019
3,795 Malek Kana'an Ottawa Nov 22, 2019
3,794 Pamela Hardie Nov 22, 2019
3,793 gary papino ottawa Nov 22, 2019
3,792 Herb Titze Algonquin Highlands Nov 20, 2019
3,791 Elizabeth Gray Hamilton Nov 19, 2019
3,790 Ruth Perkins Toronto Nov 17, 2019
3,789 Chris Swanson Thunder Bay Nov 14, 2019
3,788 Bert ffrench Sault Ste Marie Nov 12, 2019
3,787 Wendy Hamilton-Smith Mississauga Nov 12, 2019
3,786 Bruce Clark Collingwood Nov 12, 2019
3,785 Paul Douglas Colingwood Nov 12, 2019
3,784 Victor Granic Toronto Nov 12, 2019
3,783 Helene O’brien Ottawa Nov 12, 2019
3,782 michael christie toronto Nov 11, 2019
3,781 Maria Ricupero Toronto Nov 11, 2019
3,780 Dietrich Brueckner Kingston Nov 10, 2019
3,779 Albert & BettyAnne Bod ST THOMAS Nov 10, 2019
3,778 Erwin Dreessen Ottawa Nov 10, 2019
3,777 Elizabeth Krieger Toronto Nov 10, 2019
3,776 Greg Elliott Ottawa Nov 10, 2019
3,775 John Almstedt Ottawa Nov 10, 2019
3,774 Charlotte Martin Peterborough Nov 10, 2019
3,773 Ann Coffey Ottawa Nov 10, 2019
3,772 arsham mirzian Brampton Nov 09, 2019
3,771 J. P. Unger Ottawa Nov 09, 2019
3,770 Kerra Wylie Oakville Nov 09, 2019
3,769 andres paabo Nov 09, 2019
3,768 Susan Poole Ottawa Nov 09, 2019
3,767 William Alexander Ingersoll Nov 09, 2019
3,766 Nancy Prentice Oro-Medonte Nov 09, 2019
3,765 Patricia Taylor Midland Nov 09, 2019
3,764 Ely Tee Picton Nov 08, 2019
3,763 Jeffrey Herrle Toronto Nov 08, 2019
3,762 Wil Melis Pickering, ON Nov 08, 2019
3,761 Gottfried Herrlle Toronto Nov 08, 2019
3,760 Christopher Holder Picton Ont Canada Nov 08, 2019
3,759 Noel Parrott Norwood Nov 08, 2019
3,758 Sue Horwood Nov 08, 2019
3,757 Christopher Fanning Toronto Nov 08, 2019
3,756 Gerald Poisson Barrie Nov 08, 2019
3,755 Karen Valihora Toronto Nov 08, 2019
3,754 B Marks Nov 08, 2019
3,753 J Lopinski Lindsay Nov 08, 2019
3,752 Thaia Jones Mississauga Nov 08, 2019
3,751 Gayle McIntyre Mississauga Nov 08, 2019
3,750 Gabrielle White Nov 07, 2019
3,749 Mirna Garabet TORONTO Nov 07, 2019
3,748 Michael Butz Haliburton Nov 07, 2019
3,747 Jack Morran Steinbach Nov 07, 2019
3,746 Doug Howarth Scarborough Nov 07, 2019
3,745 Heather Bailey Newmarket Nov 07, 2019
3,744 John Joosse Ingersoll Nov 07, 2019
3,743 Yetty Joosse Ingersoll Nov 07, 2019
3,742 Tugce Arslan Toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,741 Sherry Schofield Nov 07, 2019
3,740 M. Cooper Keswick Nov 07, 2019
3,739 Kathleen Kett St Agatha Nov 07, 2019
3,738 Sylvia Schippers leamington Nov 07, 2019
3,737 Steven Spencer Pickering Nov 07, 2019
3,736 Colin McGregor Waterloo Nov 07, 2019
3,735 Fenja Brodo Ottawa Nov 07, 2019
3,734 Jim Stewart Cambridge Nov 07, 2019
3,733 Sheila Fleming Ingersoll Nov 07, 2019
3,732 Allan Bowman EAST GWILLIMBURY Nov 07, 2019
3,731 Les Vajda New tecumseth Nov 07, 2019
3,730 Eva Mitsche Toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,729 Peter Morgan Peterborough Nov 07, 2019
3,728 Jennifer Warr Picton Nov 07, 2019
3,727 June GURVICH Toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,726 Margaret Kernan Stouffville Nov 07, 2019
3,725 Lynne Lamb Nov 07, 2019
3,724 Philippa Wild Toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,723 Erwin Rusch Midland Nov 07, 2019
3,722 Niall Lawlor BEETON Nov 07, 2019
3,721 kyle lamont MIDLAND Nov 07, 2019 Please lower my hydro bill by 12% by making a deal with Quebec for low-cost water power. It is time we weened ourselves off of expensive nuclear energy and build up our renewable sources and smart grid. Quebec water power can help during this transition.
3,720 Liz McClelland Toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,719 David Wolder Milton Nov 07, 2019
3,718 James Kennedy Toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,717 Linda Grenier McDonalds Corners Nov 07, 2019
3,716 Jean Bercier Casselman Nov 07, 2019
3,715 Brandon Evangelista Nov 07, 2019
3,714 Yoga Jega Pickering Nov 07, 2019
3,713 Jim Prall Toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,712 avra weinstein toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,711 Kostadin Stanojevic Toronto Nov 07, 2019
3,710 Bo Lu Toronto Nov 06, 2019
3,709 Dieter Misgeld Toronto Nov 06, 2019
3,708 Jan Heynen Ottawa Nov 06, 2019 With the high cost of nuclear powered generators it makes no sense to me to go with that technology rather than for instance importing hydrogen power from Quebec. It would also remove the further accumulation of radio active waste. Please lower my hydro bill by 12% by making a deal with Quebec for low-cost water power.
3,707 Annika Nicholson Kitchener Nov 06, 2019
3,706 Bill Kime Toronto Nov 06, 2019
3,705 Elizabeth Burrows Toronto Nov 06, 2019
3,704 John Abrams Toronto Nov 06, 2019
3,703 Mark Hathaway Toronto Nov 06, 2019
3,702 Walter Tose Haliburton Ontario Nov 06, 2019
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Don’t think about the nuclear elephant

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins

Doug Ford wants you to think about what the federal carbon tax is costing you — even though it will not actually cost 70% of Ontario’s families anything – and not about his failure to deliver on his promise to reduce electricity costs.

In its electricity plan released in March, the Ford government essentially admitted that it could not deliver on the Premier’s promise to reduce electricity costs by 12% while proceeding with high-cost, high-risk nuclear rebuild projects.

Tell Premier Ford to make a deal with QuebecThat’s why we are once again reminding the Premier that he can keep his promise by making a deal with Quebec to import low-cost water power. Today we’re starting to air radio ads on Barrie radio stations Rock 95 and 107.5 KoolFM calling on the Premier to save Ontarians money by making a deal with Quebec. Please click here to listen to our radio ads.

Instead of printing stickers, redesigning licence plates and generally trying to distract Ontarians from his failure to keep a major cost-saving promise, the Premier should sit down with Quebec Premier Legault and get a deal done.

You can help us stop the Premier from changing the channel by making a donation to support our radio ads, billboards and pamphlets (our volunteers are distributing these leaflets throughout Doug Ford’s riding).

And please sign our petition asking Premier Ford to cut your electricity bill by 12% by doing a deal with Quebec.

Thank you.

Angela Bischoff, Director

Ford Government gets it backwards on energy cost savings

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Efficiency, Nuclear

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

 

Etobicoke Campaign to persuade Premier Ford to lower hydro costs starts today

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Nuclear

 

Today we are launching our Etobicoke Campaign to persuade Premier Ford to keep his promise to lower your hydro bills by 12%. He can do it by signing a deal with Quebec.

Quebec has a huge surplus off low-cost water power which can keep your lights on at less than 1/3rd the cost of re-building the Darlington Nuclear Station.

We’re taking the message about these huge potential savings to Premier Ford’s backyard in Etobicoke. We’ve already posted a billboard on Kipling Ave, south of Bethridge Road, and will soon be distributing our Cut My Bill pamphlets there as well.

What you can do to lower your hydro bills:

1. Ask Premier Ford to keep his promise to cut your bills by signing our CutMyBill.ca petition.

2. Please contact me at Angela@CleanAirAlliance.org if you can help us distribute our “Cut My Hydro Bill!” pamphlet in Etobicoke.

3. Make a donation to support our campaign to lower your hydro bills.

4. Pass this message on to your friends, neighbours and co-workers.

Thank you!

Angela Bischoff, Director

IESO takes major step to lower Ontario’s electricity bills

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Nuclear

On February 1st, Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) asked Hydro One to upgrade its transmission system to permit Ontario to buy large quantities of low-cost water power from Quebec.

Specifically, the IESO has asked Hydro One to increase its import capability by up to 1,650 megawatts (MW) by December 2022 at a cost of approximately $20 million. This upgrade will permit Ontario to buy enough Quebec water power to displace more than 50% of the output of the Darlington Nuclear Station.

According to Financial Accountability Office of Ontario, in 2017 the province bought water power from Quebec at an average price of 2.2 cents per kWh. Ontario Power Generation’s price of nuclear power is currently four times greater at  8.8 cents per kWh. And the price of nuclear power is forecast to rise to 16.5 cents per kWh by 2025 to pay for the re-building of Darlington’s aging nuclear reactors.

By purchasing low-cost water power from Quebec, Premier Ford will be able to keep his promise to reduce Ontario’s electricity costs by 12%. This is great news for Ontario’s electricity consumers and the environment!

Angela Bischoff, Director

Electricity price alert

Building a clean, green grid, Bulletins, Nuclear

On January 1st Ontario Power Generation (OPG) raised its price of nuclear power by 7% to 8.8 cents per kWh.

As a result, the price of nuclear power has doubled since 2002.

When will the promise be kept?To add insult to injury, OPG has told the Ontario Energy Board that it needs to increase its price of nuclear power by a further 88% between now and 2025 to pay for the re-building of its Darlington Nuclear Station. If this occurs, Premier Ford will not be able to keep his promise to lower our electricity costs by 12%.

Fortunately, the solution to our rising electricity rates lies just east of the Ottawa River. Quebec is the 4th largest producer of water power in the world and it has a large and rising supply of low-cost water power available for export to Ontario at a fraction of the cost of nuclear power.

Please contact Premier Ford and ask him to buy low-cost Quebec water power and cancel the high-cost Darlington Re-Build Project.

Premier Ford’s cell phone # is 416-805-2156. His email is Doug.Ford@pc.ola.org. Click here to send him a message now.

Please pass this message on to your friends.

Thank you!

Angela Bischoff, Director

Improving natural gas efficiency can save us billions

Efficiency, Factsheets, Publications

This short report summarizes the findings from a technical study that found that deeper gas efficiency efforts between now and 2030 could save Ontario consumers $85 billion in natural gas costs over the life-times of the energy efficiency measures.  Natural gas use is one of the biggest contributors to this province’s greenhouse gas emissions and increased efficiency could cut these emissions by 18% while saving gas consumers money.

Read Saving Billions on Natural Gas Costs