December 8, 2016 Dear…

December 8, 2016

Dear Minister,

I believe that Ontario must change course to be 100% powered by Renewable Energy by 2050.

We want Ontario’s Long-Term Energy Plan (LTEP) to set the goals, actions and timelines for such a transition.

More and more municipalities, countries and companies are well along in their planning to transition to 100% renewable energy.  I think in particular of Calgary’s strategy to power its transit system with 100% renewable energy.  Ontario can meet or exceed that level of ambition. Ontario’s next energy plan should put policies in place to enable citizens, communities and Indigenous communities to go 100% renewable.

Ontario can be a leader in the green energy transition and I’m extremely proud of Ontario’s movement in phasing out coal and increasing energy from renewable sources and I would like to see Ontario further its reputation as a climate leader so I'm concerned that three-quarters of our energy use still comes from fossil fuels. I believe we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by investing in public transit and green district heating technologies.

Ontario should also ensure we take advantage of emerging innovations in clean technology, such as smart grids, and storage.  In particular, the Feed-in Tariff program is a truly outstanding program that should be maintained at all costs, and should be promoted with full voice. Ontario residents and communities should have opportunities to own and participate in renewable energy projects as this benefits us all. I am concerned about the impacts of climate change,  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 bulk energy supply from 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,

Kate O’Coin

[Original Comment ID: 205289]