Green energy presents a…

Green energy presents a significant strong investment in the Ontario economy. It is a point of pride that the province has taken such fantastic strides in supporting Ontario’s economy and job growth through responsible investment in environmentally sustainable energy. I have seen the impacts of this in my own community – a family member who generates green energy and gains financial independence by having solar panels on his farm, another family member employed in green energy programs to retrofit homes. But the impacts of the move away from a green economy are already being severely felt. My family member who does the energy retrofit program recently lost their job; a friend who worked for a solar energy company recently discovered their contract will not be renewed because of provincial funding cuts. Both of these people rely on these jobs as their sole source of income and now find themselves in precarious economic situations. Examples like this will continue to happen across the province as the government actively halts economic growth by phasing out renewable energy permits in the province. Cancelling these projects, particularly in small communities, can be extremely disheartening for people as they witness huge job losses and the resulting economic strain and loss of community.