To whom it may concern, I…

To whom it may concern,

I want Ontario’s next Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP) to acknowledge that going 100% renewable is a viable option for Ontario’s energy future.

More and more municipalities, countries and companies are planning to transition to 100% renewable energy. Ontario’s next energy plan should put policies in place to enable citizens, communities and Indigenous communities to go 100% renewable.

Put Conservation First

To fight climate change and reduce our environmental footprint, Ontario’s next energy plan must make conservation and efficiency the first priority for all energy decisions.

A recent government study* showed we have the potential to cost-effectively reduce electricity demand by 30% by 2035.

I think the government should pursue all cost-effective conservation.

Seize Opportunities

I’m extremely proud of Ontario’s leadership in phasing out coal and increasing energy from renewable sources, and I want to see Ontario maintain its reputation as a climate leader.

I am concerned that three-quarters of our energy use still comes from fossil fuels, which are directly contributing to climate change.

I believe we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by encouraging adoption of electric vehicles, and investing in public transit and green heating technologies.

Ontario should also ensure we take advantage of emerging innovations in clean technology, such as smart grids, and storage.

I want Ontario to continue to be a leader in the green energy transition.

Empower Citizens and Communities to go 100% Renewable

Ontario’s next energy plan should empower everyone from community groups and co-ops to municipalities and First Nations & Métis to become energy producers.

I am a proud investor in SolarShare Co-operative, which has enabled me to directly benefit financially from the projects, participate in co-op decision making, and learn about the important environmental impacts of both renewable energy and energy conservation.

Government policies like the Feed-In-Tariff program have allowed communities to participate in and benefit from renewable energy production, which has led to a number of important and tangible benefits**

I want Ontario to continue to ensure citizens and communities have opportunities to own and participate in renewable energy projects.

Build Resilient Communities

I am concerned about the impacts of climate change, and the probability of increasing erratic weather events such as ice storms, flooding and severe heat.

In order to reliably keep the lights on, I believe Ontario should strengthen our local power production and distribution systems, and rely less on large centralized power plants.

I am concerned with Ontario’s heavy reliance on a small number of large nuclear plants, and I believe decreasing our reliance on nuclear will lead to a more flexible, more cost-effective energy supply in the long run.

I want Ontario to empower local communities with the tools they need to go 100% renewable.

Thank you very much for taking the time to consider and review public input into Ontario’s next Long Term Energy Plan.

Sincerely,

Michael Caldwell

[Original Comment ID: 206401]