Toronto City Council has been clear that it does not support the expansion of the Portlands gas-fired generating station on the Toronto Waterfront.

But despite the city’s opposition, the Ford government approved a significant expansion of Portlands instead of adopting a reasonable plan to phase-out the use of this and other polluting gas plants ASAP.

In fact, the province is planning to increase the use of polluting gas to generate electricity by 500% by 2035, exactly what our climate doesn’t need now.

In response, on June 15, Toronto City Council passed a motion requesting “the Government of Canada to issue Clean Electricity Regulations that prohibit increasing the gas-fired generating capacity at the Portlands Energy Centre, effective immediately.”

As the Independent Electricity System Operator’s Dunsky Report has noted, we can cost-effectively avoid the need for new gas-fired generating capacity by investing in: a) renewable energy; b) load controls that shift electricity demand from peak to off-peak periods; and c) energy storage.

Moreover, according to a new report from the Royal Bank of Canada’s Climate Action Institute, Ontario can avoid the need for new gas plants and save at least $500 million by investing in smart thermostats and AI-enhanced heat and cooling systems.

Please contact federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and tell him to enact strong Clean Electricity Regulations that stop Ontario’s climate-destructive plan.

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