This Forest Biomass Plan is…

This Forest Biomass Plan is not a solution. Instead it adds to the problem.

One of the main products of Ontario’s forest biomass industry is wood pellets. Wood pellets are marketed as a clean energy alternative, but in reality wood pellets are dirtier than coal at the smokestack.

Increasing deforestation as a climate solution is not viable. While claims are made by the industry and government that only waste wood is used to manufacture wood pellets, more whole trees from primary, boreal forests are being logged to meet the demands of this growing industry. therefore, this adds to the problem and does not help solve it.

The Ontario government claims that expanding the wood pellet industry will provide alternative employment for fossil fuel workers, but these would be jobs in an industry that dumps more carbon into the atmosphere than what it's replacing. This is short term erroneous thinking. Why can't jobs be created that align with alternative energy solutions that decrease pollution and global warming and create an environment that will support life on the planet for future generations?

Please stop thinking about and focusing on getting votes in the next election. We need a government that creates policies and makes decisions which will decrease global warming, pollution etc. and focus on creative initiatives to solve the issues which we face. In reality, a government that makes decisions and policies to ensure a future will gain public trust, improve and support a healthy economy and get public support.