Re: Supporting Critical…

Re: Supporting Critical Transmission Infrastructure in Northeast and Eastern Ontario

The Laborers’ International Union of North America is pleased to support the Ministry of Energy’s Supporting Critical Transmission Infrastructure in Northeast and Eastern Ontario regulatory proposal. We appreciate the Government of Ontario’s focus on developing a clean, reliable, and affordable electricity system and we strongly advocate for prioritizing the development of new transmission lines in Northeast Ontario and increasing transmission capacity in Eastern Ontario given the pressing need for such crucial infrastructure.

For background, LiUNA represents workers in all sectors of the construction industry in Ontario: industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI), residential, roads, pipeline, sewer and watermain, electrical power systems, demolition, utilities and heavy engineering. With more than 120,000 members in the province possessing the skills to work safely while building the infrastructure necessary to support economic growth and the energy transition, LiUNA will be at the forefront of constructing Ontario’s future.

As economic growth and electrification drive an increasing demand for electricity in our region, it’s clear that a robust and resilient transmission infrastructure is essential for further investment and job creation in Northern and Eastern Ontario. However, this potential is contingent upon the presence of reliable transmission infrastructure to sustain and accelerate our growth.

Prioritizing this infrastructure benefits not only businesses but also the broader community. It’s crucial that all levels of government collaborate effectively to ensure our critical infrastructure aligns with both the present and future demands of our region. We view the current regulatory posting as a positive indicator of proactive measures being taken, and we see the proposed expansion of the transmission infrastructure as a significant and praiseworthy step forward.

About LiUNA

United by collective bargaining agreements, LiUNA is a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build Ontario, Canada, and the U.S. at large. Our members are a skilled and experienced union workforce trained to work safely in the construction and energy industries. A half-million strong, with over 120,000 in Ontario, LiUNA’s skilled workforce will play an incremental role in spearheading the province’s decarbonization efforts.

LiUNA members currently work in every area of the energy sector, helping to build transmission and distribution facilities, power plants and oil pipelines, as well as being skilled in the maintenance of nuclear and other electricity generation facilities.