As a worker in the…

As a worker in the healthcare energy management sector, I have the following comments:

Healthcare is an energy-intensive sector with unique constraints due to patient risk considerations and resource limitations, but the healthcare workforce has a deep understanding of the intimate link between patient and community health and the environment. From this viewpoint, I support the Government of Ontario’s goal of ensuring clean, reliable and affordable energy.

I support simplified delivery of energy efficiency programs, which ideally would encompass electricity, fuels, water and carbon. Single-window and LDC-supported programs are desirable enhancements for all customer segments. Furthermore, the longer that energy programs persist in a given form, are informed by carbon reduction mandates, and are untethered from calendar-based deadlines, the better for business planning purposes.

Although not mentioned directly in the framework proposal, better energy data is essential to the effort. The guiding principles should be: accessible, exportable, reliable, comprehensive.

There is need for attention to decarbonization; as part of this, there is value in attending to reduced consumption of all utilities, and not just electrification and efficiency gains. For example, although decarbonization may increase electricity consumption, overall primary energy use is typically reduced drastically.