Technology: Ontario is lucky…

Technology:
Ontario is lucky to have had a low carbon electricity system for years. Plugging an electric car in anywhere in Ontario means it is using real low-carbon power. Modern states need constant and controllable power. Nuclear and hydropower have been the backbone of our system for years. We need to double (or more) our electricity supply if we are to heat all buildings and power all transport with electricity.

We know how to do this.

A doubling of our hydro and nuclear power generation will maintain Ontario's position as a low carbon leader in the world, and create lots of economic activity and jobs.

Wind and solar generation are attractive to the public, but too much of it on a grid is difficult to manage, and locks in natural gas to compensate for intermittency.

Public Policy:
Provincial ownership of the energy system is vital. All the clean energy grids in the world are state-owned. Avoid the mistake of allowing the private sector to operate the electricity supply which is a public good. Major investment from the past generation of governments left us a tremendous gift of hydro dams and nuclear power stations. Today's governments need to make similar major investments for the Canadians in the century to come.