When the Ford government first came to office they immediately canceled 750 renewable energy projects at a cost of $231 million. Under their rule, Ontario has more than doubled the role of gas-fired electricity from 4% to more than 10% moving in the wrong direction on both counts in terms of carbon emissions and air pollution.

 

They plan to expand gas fired electricity further, through proposals to build new plants in various locations and re-invest in existing plants, like Toronto's Portlands Energy Centre, to extend their life into the future. Opposition to these plans are growing. Town councils in Kingston, Thorold and Halton Hills have voted down proposed new plants, although the Greater Napanee Town Council accepted bribes of $400000 annually to approve a new plant. 

 

This flies in the face of climate science that is clear that emissions must be curbed, not expanded - hardly surprising given the Ford governments climate denial.

 

But the real beneficiary of this is Enbridge that will continue to rake in profits from supplying the gas for these plants.

 

And the Ford government has come to the aid of Enbridge again through Bill 165.

 

Last Fall, Enbridge applied to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) to increase rates for their gas customers to subsidize new hookups to the gas system in new developments - effectively having existing Enbridge customers pay to expand their customer base. In a good decision, the OEB rejected this proposal arguing that electric heat exchangers were the cheaper alternative for new customers, and that developers could pay for gas hookups themselves. 

 

By bringing forward Bill 165 (the suitably Orwellian "Keeping Energy Costs Down Act") the Tories have gone to bat for Enbridge - increasing costs for existing gas consumers to keep down the costs for developers and subsidizing Enbridge. 

 

By expanding gas fired electricity and bringing forward Bill 165, the Ford government is making energy less affordable now, and undermining prospects for a livable future.

 

Send an email to your MPP opposing this plan: https://act.leadnow.ca/oeb-mpp/

 

Learn more at: https://environmentaldefence.ca/nomoregasplants/