In addition to this…

In addition to this submission, Oxford County has submitted, by email directly to Andrea Pastori, a more comprehensive submission that reasonable in this submission format.

Overview:

The County of Oxford is committed to our community vision of “A vibrant, prosperous, and responsible Oxford for all.” as demonstrated through Council’s adoption of the Future Oxford Community Sustainability Plan (www.futureoxford.ca), and its commitments to 100% Renewable Energy (www.smartenergyoxford.ca) and Zero Waste (www.zerowasteoxford.ca).

The ways and means we create and utilize the energy that powers our province is changing. Over the past century our quality of life has been built essentially on a one-time gift of fossil fuel and energy dense minerals such as uranium.

These non-renewable sources of energy can be credited with the legacy of enabling the highest quality of living experienced in the human age however, by their very definition, they have a relatively short shelf-life.

The transition away from non-renewable energy is underway on a global scale. In 2015 and again in 2016, leaders from around the world committed to a significant reduction in carbon emissions and this objective will be met largely by the continued elimination of carbon emitting fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil derivatives. In Ontario, air quality and respiratory health have improved significantly since the elimination of coal power stations. In 2015, Oxford County took the bold step of committing to the development of a new energy paradigm by committing to a net 100% renewable energy (100%RE) municipality by 2050. In 2017, we will continue to assist the Province in their goal of establishing this same transition to a renewable energy future.

Our detailed submission addresses the Ministry of Energy document ‘Planning Ontario’s Energy Future’, through a narrative that seeks to address questions raised under Section 6 – Changes on the Horizon.

Recommendations:

1.The LTEP must advance the “conservation first” approach to energy management and planning even further with the direct result of substantive energy demand reductions from all energy consumers; 2.The LTEP must focus on advanced grid networks that combine the benefits of renewable energy generation with intelligent network controls that are capable of optimizing energy demand and production through highly reliable networks;

3.The LTEP must lead to significant carbon reduction targets from all energy sources and, in doing so, also addressing full lifecycle issues;

4.The LTEP must recognize the significant role of community and business sector education and engagement will play in the transformational shift away from non-renewable sources of energy;

5.We invite the Province of Ontario to promote and work directly with communities, such as Oxford County, who are committed to the concept of 100% Renewable Energy by 2050.

Thank you

We look forward to ongoing dialogue on this important issue

[Original Comment ID: 207146]