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Toronto Star
Ontario's green plan to push clean energy
By: Tyler Hamilton/Robert Benzie/Tyler Hamilton/Robert Benzie
Date: May 10, 2007
Ontario is going green on June 11 when the government unveils its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage conservation and boost renewable energy generation, the Star has learned.
Premier Dalton McGuinty's government's long-awaited green plan is expected to have more aggressive climate change targets than Ottawa's recently announced scheme.
Sources say it is a sweeping document that will build on already announced initiatives like yesterday's plan to cut in half the number of plastic bags used by Ontarians within five years and a ban on energy-hogging incandescent light bulbs by 2012.
To that end, the government will announce greenhouse gas emission reduction targets more aggressive than federal Environment Minister John Baird's 20 per cent cut from current levels by 2020.
The Liberals are not expected to match the standard promised by NDP Leader Howard Hampton - a cut in emissions to 6 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012, as set out in the Kyoto Protocol. But they will eclipse Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory's promise of a 10 per cent reduction in 1990 emissions by 2020.
Environment Minister Laurel Broten declined to comment on specific targets until after the "all hands on deck" plan is released next month, but emphasized it would improve upon Tory's proposal.
"A good plan requires stringent targets and a game plan as to how to get there with steps for the government to take and steps to help Ontarians do their part," said Broten, who has led the way on curbing the use of plastic bags and inefficient light bulbs and championed the controversial FLICK OFF conservation program.
"We have been co-ordinating a multi-ministry approach to climate change. We've made a number of announcements as to steps that we're taking because we are not waiting. We're getting started," she said in an interview.
"We've always said it's a comprehensive climate change plan - all ministries on board and the premier has spoken to that effect."
The green plan announcement will come a week before the province's Shared Air Summit, which will bring together government, industry and academic leaders to discuss climate change.
Under the province's green plan, the last of Ontario's high-polluting coal- fired generating plants will close by 2014 - although the Liberals, who originally promised in 2003 to shutter them by this year, will not announce a firm date for political reasons - and will likely burn a higher percentage of cleaner biomass, like corn, wheat husks, and wood pellets.
The temporary measure of replacing up to 25 per cent of the coal with agricultural and wood waste would reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions from the power plants, such as mercury. Burning biomass is considered "carbon neutral" because the greenhouse gases that are released are reabsorbed in new plant life, meaning no net addition of emissions to the atmosphere.
Insiders say the Liberals, who face a re-election challenge in the Oct. 10 vote, believe the public will like the "optics" of that.
As part of the green plan the government is also going to announce another round of bidding on large-scale renewable energy projects.
Sources say a major wind farm project will be part of that. The province hopes to generate an additional 1,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources, which has the potential to power 250,000 homes.
The government is also expected to announce a new clean energy standard offer plan to complement a successful similar program launched last year to support development of small-scale wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric projects.
Under the new program, the Ontario Power Authority would pay a set price for "low-carbon" electricity that comes from heat recycling, energy-from-waste facilities, and the efficient use of natural gas and methane.
Like the renewables' program, the clean energy program would only support projects 10 megawatts in size or under. It's estimated that up to 3,000 megawatts of electricity could be profitably produced by recovering waste energy from industrial processes.
"The clean energy program will be part of it," said one source who intends to participate in the program.
The province is also expected to expand the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard to promote the construction of efficient new buildings, and announce further energy-saving reduction targets in its own offices.
Right now, the government aims to have all Ontario Realty Corp. buildings reduce their energy consumption by 10 per cent before year's end.
So far, the ORC is at an 8.8 per cent reduction, so the Liberals are confident a new savings goal can be announced - and achieved.
On Tuesday, the province vowed to use 90 per cent less electricity to cool Queen's Park by switching to the Enwave's deep lake water-cooling system and using clean energy from Bullfrog Power at the environment ministry's head office on St. Clair Ave.
As well, the Liberals hope to get more motorists in hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius and versions of the Ford Escape and the Ontario-made Honda Civic. Such vehicles are already eligible for provincial tax breaks of up to $2,000 per car - and additional federal breaks of up to $2,000 - and Queen's Park is considering upping its credit.
Yesterday, McGuinty said many small steps could cumulatively have a big impact on slowing global warming.
"Somebody recently said that when it comes to dealing with climate change and environmental issues generally, it would be a mistake to look for a silver bullet and we should be deploying silver buckshot," he told reporters.
© 2007 Torstar Corporation
Timmins Daily Press
Teen tells premier 'FLICK OFF' poor choice
Date: May 10, 2007
(Editor's note: The following is an open letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty from 14-year-old Timmins teen Jesse Fontaine.)
I am a home-schooled Christian, living in Timmins. I am currently completing Grade 8, have an interest in politics and last year won the Short Story Category at The Daily Press Literary Awards.
My interest in politics is based on the fact that it is my generation that will have to take care of our world after your generation passes the torch on to us.
I am extremely concerned about the message that your "FLICK OFF" environmental campaign sends to us as young citizens of Ontario.
Rex Murphy was doing a piece on it when I first became aware of the "FLICK OFF" program.
My family and I thought it was a joke set up by "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" or some other similar group.
When we realized it was actually a government of Ontario endorsed program I was shocked and appalled that the government of Ontario would think they needed to relate such a vulgar term to young people in order to have them recognize environmental issues. It truly saddened me and I asked my parents why the government would think that.
They told me I should ask you.
I have seen our Ontario Government's Environmental website, then we visited the www.flickoff.org website and saw the intentionally modified font, meant to ensure that the people ofOntario and the world for that matter, saw it as vulgarity that would normally be unacceptable.
I observed that the links on the website such as "ARE WE FLICKED," "WHO NEEDS TO FLICK OFF," and "GO FLICK YOURSELF" convey a message that I, for one and many others, would not associate with a need to conserve energy.
The "NATIONAL FLICK FEST" left the same impression of our current government with me as did the "FLICK OFF" video - not good.
From my parents, to David Suzuki, Discovery Channel and the other more intelligent sources of information available, I already understand the importance of energy conservation.
I have attended Queen's Park as a part of my home-school studies and have an elementary understanding of the process in which the provincial government functions. Based on that knowledge I cannot understand why you, as our premier, or one of your other ministers did not stop this stupidity before it was launched. Can you explain that to me please?
There must be a better way to relay the importance of conserving energy to young people without throwing our morals and values out the window to do so.
Regardless of what a person's religious beliefs or values are, surely the majority of Ontario's Canadians would not see the actions of your environment minister as wise or even as acceptable.
I am confident that the Canadian flag which currently flies from the flag pole that I set up in our yard, stands for a higher moral standard than those used by your Minister in establishing the method chosen to communicate with us in the "FLICK OFF" program.
I see now that corporations, such as Mac's convenience stores, M&M Meats and Subway appear to be foolishly following the message of Ontario's current government, which is that the best way to communicate with young people is through association with vulgarity.
Today I saw a large poster in the window of Mac's convenience store, it was posted under the Subway sign and depicted a Catholic nun on her knees reaching up to a glowing image of a froster cup with "WTF?" on it. There's a lamb or goat kneeling beside the nun. There's one at M&M Meats as well.
According to a Mac's convenience stores representative, the "WTF" is supposed to stand for "WHAT'S THE FLAVOUR" but we all know that the "WTF" on the cup implies the vulgar phrase "WHAT THE FLICK" (I used "Flick" because I don't use the "F" word that Mac's, M&M Meats and Subway intentionally, or otherwise, represent with the "F" in the "WTF" so proudly posted at their stores.)
We all realize(at least I hope we all do) that if the message was meant to be "what's the flavour?" the Nun and the goat/lamb worshipping the froster cup should not be required; the message is clear and I believe meant to be blasphemous.
I am shocked, embarrassed and angered that your cabinet, and now it appears Mac's, M&M Meats and Subway; believe that the young people of Ontario are so utterly stupid that the only way to communicate with them is to use the "F" word or other vulgar phrases like that.
Can you do two things for me please?
First I would like an answer from you explaining how the "FLICK OFF" campaign was permitted under your leadership. Did not even one member of your cabinet have the common sense to see that telling Ontario to "FLICK OFF" was a bad idea?
Secondly, will you please have the "FLICK OFF" program scrapped and removed from the Internet before more ad agencies come to believe that association with vulgarity is the best communication method for conveying messages to the young people of Canada.
Jesse Fontaine,
Timmins
© 2007 Osprey Media Group Inc. All rights reserved.
