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CLIMATE
STRATEGIES
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
SECTION CS
S AT U R D AY , A P R I L 2 2 , 2 0 1 7
Earth Day
Actions that make a difference – from divesting investments to
educating the next generation
B
uilding a greener future for Earth
Days to come requires commitment from individuals, businesses and governments on actions large
and small. Mobilizing the power of our
investments and introducing the next
generation to the importance of the
natural environment are just two of
many initiatives gaining momentum
in the effort to take action on climate
change.
Toby Heaps believes that we are
at an opportune time to make a difference. The publisher of Corporate
Knights Magazine argues that the “big
story from the business perspective is
that the financial community is finally
waking up to climate change.”
That matters, because the financial
industry has a unique ability to act
quickly and with significant impact.
“The price tag for implementing the
Paris Agreement and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is said to be
$90-trillion. There is over $250-trillion
of capital in the financial system that
can be channelled and leveraged to
play a consequential role.”
If governments are committed to
working towards the Paris Agreement
goals, investments in fossil fuels are
increasingly risky. Pension funds,
sovereign wealth funds, mutual funds
and institutional endowments seeking
long-term sustainable returns are now
looking to investments that support a
clean energy future.
There’s a definite sense that change
is afoot. Just one year after the Paris
meeting, over $5-trillion of investment
funds have committed to divest their
fossil fuel assets. Organizations that
include the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers
Fund, Laval University and the Canadian Medical Association have all
divested – or announced their intent
to divest – their investments in the
fossil fuel industry, and the pressure
is on other institutions to follow suit.
“This is a period of transition,” says
Mr. Heaps. “And what will determine
the pace and scale of change is how
quickly the capital system becomes
unplugged, how quickly capital can
be taken out of investments that support doomsday scenarios in favour of
investments in areas that create op-
Earth Day Canada’s new EarthPLAY campaign is a multi-pronged initiative to give more children opportunities for self-directed outdoor play. SUPPLIED
portunities for a prosperous future.”
Drawing connections to the power
of the divestment campaigns that
helped end apartheid in South Africa,
Mr. Heaps suggests that individuals
need to ask themselves if they are
investing their money in a future they
believe in.
If more of us take action to invest
in a green future – walking the walk
when it comes to aligning our actions
with our environmental values – we
can be part of the fundamental shift
to creating a heathier and sustainable
future for our children.
This also requires nurturing environmental awareness in our children
and ensuring that they have a tangible
connection to the world beyond
screens, cars and living rooms.
Earth Day Canada is doing its part
to engage kids in the natural world
through its national programs that
connect Canadians to nature and aim
to build more resilient communities.
“Many researchers have established the links between spending
time outdoors and later connections
to nature and a commitment to caring
for the environment,” says Deb Doncaster, president of Earth Day Canada.
“Unfortunately, fifty per cent of kids
spend less than an hour outside each
day. If we don’t have children outside,
experiencing the natural world, where
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PARTNERSHIPS
A win-win strategy for
environment and economy
T
here is no doubt that Canada’s
energy landscape is changing – it
is being shaped by multiple forces,
including new regulations and government initiatives, says Clement Bowman,
associate at the Bowman Centre for
Sustainable Energy. “Canada is decarbonizing,” he explains. “And we agree
with the statement of Prime Minister
Trudeau, who said in Houston, ‘We are
showing that environmental leadership
and economic growth are inseparable,
that they must go together.’”
But how to effectively combine sustainability goals with economic gains?
For Canada’s energy sector, the answer
lies in integrating various efforts and
initiatives into a nation-wide strategy,
according to Mr. Bowman and Edward
Brost, who are part of a team of experts
mapping out such an approach on behalf
of the Bowman Centre.
“In the past, big Canadian projects
have been one-dimensional, such as
building a bridge, opening a seaway,
or connecting two places or regions”
says Mr. Bowman. “But for meeting
today’s challenge – to power our
economy to generate the wealth needed
to sustain our quality of life plus meet
our environmental goals – we need an
approach that takes a range of different
dimensions into account.”
“We are proposing to engage a multistakeholder pan-Canadian group,” says
Mr. Brost, who suggests utilizing a “tried
and true” model for private and public
sector collaboration. The challenge is to
create alignment among all stakeholders, including different levels of govern-
ment, he adds. “Provincial leaders have
a responsibility to their provinces and
the federal government has a national
mandate. Aboriginal communities are
critical to success, as are regional governments,” says Mr. Brost. “We believe
that there needs to be consensus among
all participants. And we have learned
from the past, and specifically from
pipeline arguments, that consultations
have to be done properly.”
The good news is that “Canada is
well-positioned for a shift towards clean
energy,” states Mr. Brost. “We have a
huge clean energy potential, and we
also have resources like the oil sands,
which currently have high emissions but
generate a lot of income,” he explains.
“If we consider the energy system as a
whole, we could finance the transition
to a low-carbon future.”
And while many efforts are already
under way in different jurisdictions, Mr.
Brost says considerations of the priorities of local communities and provinces
need to be balanced with the energy
needs of the nation.
“That way, we can maximize each
energy source and minimize the economic and environmental shortfalls of
the system as a whole,” summarizes
Mr. Bowman.
Mr. Brost adds that it is not enough
Co-ordination, Page CS 2
This content was produced by Randall
Anthony Communications, in partnership
with The Globe and Mail’s advertising
department. The Globe’s editorial
department was not involved in its creation.
is our next generation of environmental stewards going to come from?”
Earth Day Canada’s new EarthPLAY
campaign is a multi-pronged initiative
to give more children opportunities for
self-directed outdoor play, an activity
that is increasingly close to extinction
in many communities. EarthPLAY encompasses programming at schools,
neighbourhoods and parks to raise
awareness of the importance of child-
INSIDE
Climate-resilient
infrastructure.
Drawing on
the expertise
of accounting
professionals
to manage
risks, seize
opportunities
and enhance
organizational
resilience.
CS 2
Shaping
Ontario’s energy
future.
Electrification
across all
economic
sectors is critical
to enabling the
transition to
a low-carbon
energy future.
CS 2
Energy-systems
approach.
National strategy
for leveraging
Canada’s major
energy strengths
will grow the
economy
and boost
environmental
outcomes.
CS 3
Environmental
impact.
Nuclear
among the
power sources
that provide
effective path
to emissions
reductions.
CS 4
directed play and time outdoors.
“Our mission is to connect people
to nature on Earth Day and every day,”
says Ms. Doncaster. “We need to be
physically connected to natural environments to build our understanding
of interconnection and interdependency. We are innately social animals
who are part of the natural world, and
we lose that crucial self-awareness
when we divorce ourselves from the
physical environment.”
For many of us, Earth Day has become an annual opportunity to reflect
on the challenges we face and the
successes we’ve made in protecting
our planet. Together, the divestment
movement and initiatives like EarthPLAY remind us that awareness and
action – by both individuals and organizations – are the means to a greener
and more sustainable future for all.
CS 2
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CLIMATE STRATEGIES
OPINION
The time is now for climate-resilient infrastructure
By Gordon Beal, Vice-President,
Research, Guidance and Support,
Chartered Professional
Accountants Canada
I
f there was ever a time to build
climate change considerations into
Canadian infrastructure investments, it is now. Our roads, bridges, buildings, public transit and water
and wastewater systems are at growing physical risks from the impacts
of climate change. These threats coincide with the federal government’s
plans to spend heavily on infrastructure projects over the coming decade.
In support of Canada’s ambitions to build a clean economy, the
2017 federal budget plans to invest
$21.9-billion in green infrastructure.
Specifically, $2-billion is dedicated to
The future costs of inaction
will likely outweigh the
incremental investments
made today to enhance
infrastructure resiliency.
However, too often we
hear of the challenges in
making the business case
for projects that incorporate
adaptation measures.
a Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation
Fund to support the federal, provincial/territorial and municipal infrastructure needed to address climate
change.
Given this imminent spend, our
country has a chance – indeed an obligation – to embed climate change
adaptation and climate resiliency considerations into large-scale infrastructure investments. Fortunately, it is
already starting to happen with small
steps. The National Research Council
recently decided to update national
building codes to integrate climate adaptation and resiliency considerations
– a move applauded by the Insurance
Bureau of Canada (IBC).
It’s not surprising to see the IBC
supporting efforts to disaster-proof
communities. According to the IBC,
the annual insured damage for 2016
was $4.9-billion – a significant increase from the previous annual record of $3.2-billion set in 2013. The
year’s biggest price tag came from
the Fort McMurray wildfires, which
resulted in approximately $3.7-billion
in insured damage.
The future costs of inaction will
likely outweigh the incremental investments made today to enhance
infrastructure resiliency. However,
too often we hear of the challenges in making the business case for
projects that incorporate adaptation
measures.
That’s where accountants come
into the picture – chartered professional accountants (CPAs) know how
to identify and manage risks, seize
new opportunities and enhance
organizational resilience. They support their organizations with holistic
decision-making that accounts for the
impact of climate change on strategy,
risk, and operational and financial
performance.
When Montreal developed its Climate Change Adaptation Plan, CPAs
played an integral role in performing
the cost-benefit analysis of embedding adaptation into municipal infrastructure decisions.
“A less costly option may be
deemed adequate today, but could
result in future costs,” explains Raoul
Cyr, director of accounting and finan-
cial information at the City of Montreal. For example, when sewer pipes
cannot withstand the increased flooding predicted with climate change,
sewer backups could lead to additional expenditures, such as cleanup costs and even legal liabilities.
“Climate change is going to force cities and governments to put in place
capital projects and other measures
to prevent future losses or damages.”
As the federal government moves
to establish the Canada Infrastructure
Bank and roll out planned spending
on infrastructure projects designed
to adapt to climate change, it is essential that accountants have a seat
at the table to help make the business case for resiliency and to ensure
adequate accountability. There has
never been a better time for CPAs to
get involved.
Raoul Cyr is one of the CPAs showcased in CPA Canada’s climate change
adaptation case studies. For more
information about CPA Canada’s climate change resources, please visit
cpacanada.ca/climatechange.
OPINION
Tango between climate change and energy policy
By Jatin Nathwani and
Marc Brouillette
A paradigm shift based
on a strategic deployment
of emerging technologies
could radically reshape
Ontario’s energy future.
O
ntario’s climate strategy to
reduce emissions by 2030
scores high on aspirations but
low when tested against a checklist
of potential outcomes. The Ontario
Planning Outlook (OPO), the foundation for Ontario’s current Long-Term
Energy Plan (LTEP) process, does not
square up with the requirements of
meeting the targets of the climate
change legislation. If achieving
emission reduction targets can be
viewed as the cake we covet and desire, then the bittersweet aftertaste
will be the certainty of cost realities
and the difficult hurdles of implementation.
We highlight the fault lines on the
pathway and shine a light on the
key components of climate change
and energy policy to avoid the road
to tears.
We accept the urgency of action
on climate change and note that
Canada’s long-term greenhouse
gases strategy entails a significant
growth in demand for electrification
to meet emission reduction targets.
The OPO skirts and dances around
this one key factor of future success.
The ensuing LTEP must explicitly
favour and promote electrification
across all economic sectors as the
EARTH DAY
ACTIONS
THE GOAL?
Reaching three
billion acts of
green.
Here are some
ideas for
participating:
Create your
own ‘act of
green’
Plant a tree (or
donate to plant
a tree)
March for
science
Reduce your
environmental
footprint
Eat less meat
Stop using
disposable
plastic
See more
ideas at
earthday.org.
Helping businesses
navigate climate change
critical enabler for the transition to a
low-carbon energy future.
HOW AND WHY?
Our analysis identified a broad
range of technology solutions to
help achieve Ontario’s 2030 emission reduction targets. Consistent
with the premise of deep decarbonization, implementing the requisite
fuel-switching technologies will drive
significant demand for new electricity generation, on the order of 90
TWh or 60 per cent beyond Ontario’s
current electricity demand. The fault
line of the OPO pathway is that it will
cost Ontarians $27-billion annually to
implement, an extreme imposition
that could cripple Ontario’s future
economy.
Fortunately, there is an opportunity to rethink Ontario’s energy supply and delivery infrastructure. A
paradigm shift based on a strategic
deployment of emerging technologies could radically reshape Ontario’s
energy future. The four key shifts include:
• Embedded Distributed Energy Resources integrated with control by
the local distribution utilities;
• integrating the “wires and pipes”
– hybrid natural gas and electric
heating solutions for buildings with
behind-the-meter natural gas acting
as the new winter peaking capacity
for the electricity system;
• hydrogen and natural gas storage
as the Ontario equivalent to the
seasonal storage of Hydro-Quebec’s
James Bay reservoirs; and
• nuclear, as the backbone of a lowcarbon electricity future, underpins
an economic development strategy.
The benefits of embracing these four
critical paradigm shifts include pro-
viding the earliest path to emission
reductions, a 50 per cent lower incremental unit cost of energy than
indicated by the OPO, an average
future electricity system cost of $115/
MWh (approximately 20 per cent less
than today’s), and a future carbon
price reduced by a third from $160 to
$106 per tonne of emissions.
These paradigm shift benefits
would reduce the estimated $27-billion annual cost of emissions reduction to a level of $18-billion, an annual savings of $9-billion from smart
electricity planning.
The most significant benefits are at
the economy level. The resultant improvement in Ontario’s trade balance
($7-billion annually) and economic,
industrial and employment activity
($8-billion annually) would allow Ontario to achieve its climate objectives
while enriching the economy at the
same time.
The energy planning paradigm
shifts leverage Ontario’s unique infrastructure advantages and offer a new
cost-effective pathway to achieving
emission targets. We argue, however, that the benefits would not be
achievable without a sustained focus
on an integrated policy solution that
encompasses environmental, energy
and economic development objectives. Yes, with smart and thoughtful energy approaches, Ontario can
maintain a competitive advantage
both regionally and globally and sing
in harmony with Canada’s national
carbon emission reduction goals.
Jatin Nathwani is professor and Ontario Research Chair in Public Policy for
Sustainable Energy at the University
of Waterloo and Marc Brouillette is
principal consultant at Strategic Policy
Economics.
FROM CS 1
Co-ordination: Making
climate solutions affordable
to look at current energy consumption.
“We also need to consider energy
and electricity use in 2030, 2040 and
beyond,” he says. “Fortunately, we
already have a range of solutions for
addressing climate change; the challenge is to make them more affordable
and more compelling.”
An example of a compelling solution
is the latest generation of electric cars,
says Mr. Brost. “Elon Musk has said
that if you build an electric car, it has
to be faster and more fun to drive than
a conventional car. Only then does it
become a game changer,” he explains.
Energy leadership and decarbonizing
the economy go hand in hand and require understanding of both economic
and social needs, according to Mr.
Brost and Mr. Bowman, who want to
acknowledge the contributions of their
colleague, the late Richard J. Marceau,
to the development of a nation-wide
energy strategy.
STRATEGY
Private and public sector collaboration –
The Lougheed model
Chartered Professional Accountants (CPAs)
can help your organization make more informed
decisions — and increase resilience — in the
face of climate change.
How? By identifying climate-related risks and
opportunities. By estimating financial impacts
and performing scenario analyses. By advising
on long-term business performance.
Need a strategic response to climate change?
Enlist a CPA.
FIND OUT MORE AT
cpacanada.ca/climatechange
17-0074
In order to implement a national energy strategy, Canadian leaders from the
private sector, aboriginal communities and different levels of government
would have to join forces in an effort to optimize energy resources, suggests
the Bowman Centre for Sustainable Energy, which has produced a blueprint
for a Canadian Interprovincial Technology and Research Authority (CITRA).
With the combined goals of growing the economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other adverse environmental outcomes, the CITRA
would be based on the private and public sector collaboration model of the
Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority that was implemented
in 1974 by Peter Lougheed with five critical components:
• a regional and national vision with the government putting the first
money on the table,
• projects identified and performed by the private sector;
• program managed by an arm’s-length authority;
• 50/50 public and private sector funding;
• new technology owned and made accessible by the government.
Following this model would allow provincial and territorial leaders working with aboriginal communities and regions to leverage investments for
projects identified and carried out by the private sector, hence realizing the
objectives for meeting economic and environmental targets from big national
projects, such as resource upgrading and clean electricity.
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Hydrogen
Batteries
Wind
Electricity Generation
ELECTRICAL RESOURCES
Bio
Solar
Nuclear
Hydroelectric
Dams/Pump
Storage
Tidal
HVDC/HVAC
Grid
Transmission
Hydroelectric
Future Energy
Corridor?
Electricity Storage
Energy Linkages: Three Important “System Chains”
Power
for Future
Transportation
Aggregate
Energy System
Meets Emission
Targets
Domestic
& Export
Markets
Pipelines
Natural Gas
Generation
Durable
Goods
Liquefied
Natural Gas
Natural Gas &
Condensates
Export
Markets
Conventional
Oil
Oil Sand
Bitumen
Value-Added
Manufacturing
HYDROCARBON RESOURCES
OPINION
Canada’s energy system should not be a
silo or even a farm of silos
1. OIL SANDS ON A NEW VALUEADDED TRAJECTORY
By Clement Willis Bowman,
Guy Van Uytven and
Edward John Brost
T
en of Canada’s energy leaders,
in their 2006 Natural Resources
Canada report Powerful Connections, urged the federal government to
use a systems approach to effectively
manage energy innovation.
What did they mean by “systems approach”? It is clear they did not mean
energy silos. But since then, Canada’s
energy projects, including how we use
energy, continue to operate in silos
with minimal effort to define an energy
system that would capture synergies
among its components.
Canada’s energy system should be
seen as an integrated system. Components of this energy system should be
selected for priority development over
this next half-century, providing economic wealth and jobs, and meeting
environmental and greenhouse gas
emission targets. The Council of the
Federation in its July 2015 Canadian
Energy Strategy urged Canada to develop and enhance a modern, reliable,
environmentally safe and efficient
series of transmission and transportation networks (i.e., electrical grids and
hydrocarbon pipelines), which take
central position in the above chart.
We have highlighted three system
chains in the chart, which should now
receive increased attention.
The oil sands industry began in the
1980s by mining bitumen and upgrading it to a range of value-added
fuel and petrochemical products.
But since that time, the major focus
has been on pipelining raw bitumen
to the U.S. for processing, essentially sending jobs and wealth down
the pipeline. The latest example is
the Keystone XL Pipeline, which
surfaced as a major political issue
in the U.S.
Chemists have long known that
bitumen is not a “dirty oil.” It is, in
fact, a natural treasure of complex
naphthenic ring structures that
could be precursors for high-value
chemical and non-fuel products. As
an early priority, we recommend
that facilities be constructed to
process bitumen from the Alberta
oil sands into value-added durable
goods, not for combustion. The
Sarnia/Lambton petroleum refining
and petrochemical complex is one
of several Canadian regions where
value-added processing could be
undertaken, meeting rigorous environmental criteria.
For example, bitumen could be
manufactured into value-added
non-fuel products such as carbon fibres, graphenes, premium asphalts,
coatings, adhesives and other noncombusted products. That would
break the paradigm that processing
bitumen must lead to increased
greenhouse gas emissions. A 21st
century facility designed to produce
durable goods would divert almost
half the carbon in raw bitumen
from the fuels pool to durables not
destined for combustion.
2. NEW HYDRO AND A NATIONAL
GRID
Canada has only developed part of
its huge hydroelectric potential and
this represents a major opportunity
for 21st century big nation-building
projects to:
• maintain lower energy costs while
converting to a low-carbon future,
• provide energy storage to allow
better integration of intermittent
energy options (wind/solar) in the
electrical supply, and
• provide peak energy during periods of high demand in Canada
and the U.S. through an expanded
transmission network, an incremental step towards a possible
North American HVDC/HVAC power grid.
Properly designed and built large
hydro projects offer the lowest energy cost, including transmission
and maintenance. That is why the
lowest electricity rate jurisdictions in
North America are B.C., Manitoba and
Quebec. Large hydro project lifespans
exceed 100 years. After initial installation is amortized, typically over 50
years, production costs in the following 50 years become negligible. For
this reason, old hydro plants are not
shut down. They just keep on going.
Development of Quebec’s hydro
resources opened large export sales
to the U.S. This could be achieved
in Canada’s west by integrating the
resources of B.C., Alberta and the
Northwest Territories. High Voltage
Direct Current (HVDC) technology
makes long-distance transmission of
electricity feasible and competitive.
Systematically integrating the efforts
of B.C., Alberta and the Northwest
Territories would facilitate develop-
Our huge oil sands and
vastly underdeveloped
hydroelectric power are
two of Canada’s major
energy strengths. The
significance of these
strengths to North
America should be raised
in the anticipated future
negotiations on NAFTA.
ment of vast hydro resources in our
Northwest. As in Quebec, excess
available low-carbon energy could
be sold to the U.S. where electricity
rates are two to three times higher
than those in B.C.
3. CANADA’S LONG-TERM ENERGY
FUTURE
We can also peer deeply into Canada’s
energy future when hydrogen and
electricity have the potential to be
the ultimate energy system, with the
ability to match energy load demand
on a daily basis.
Canada’s hydrogen guru, Dr. David
Sanborn Scott, has proposed that the
only plausible final energy state for
society will be built around these two
interchangeable energy currencies.
He refers to this as the “hydricity”
economy.
The potential for batteries to deliver
off-peak electrical power to electric
cars is now being actively considered. However, electricity cannot
fly airplanes and is a poor candidate
for long-range transportation. This is
where hydrogen comes in. It is the
staple fuel of space flight and we
have gained much practical experience in its safe manufacture and use.
Indeed, without its use, we would
not have reached the moon back in
1969. Canada is in a unique position
to lead the world in a transition to a
hydricity economy.
In 2006, our energy leaders saw the
need for a Canadian integrated energy
system. Our three system chains provide
important examples of how this can be
achieved. Bowman Centre for Sustainable Energy volunteers are excited about
being a part of this national undertaking.
Clement Willis Bowman has broad private/public sector energy experience, Guy Van Uytven is a power specialist with extensive domestic/international experience and Edward John Brost is an energy
consultant with oil and gas, nuclear and thermal power generation experience.
Mission Statement:
Catalyze big energy projects which drive Canada’s energy strategy and
generate sustainable wealth and jobs.
The Bowman Centre
For Sustainable Energy
Canada was built by Big Projects, from the railways and the seaway in
the past to satellites and microwave transmission networks in recent
times. These projects were led by visionaries who met and conquered
huge obstacles. Two major planning documents undertaken over the
past nine years have defined new big projects ready to be launched now.
The Associates of the Bowman Centre, as unpaid volunteers, are committing
their personal time and efforts to the realization of these projects.
bowmancentre.ca
The Canadian Sustainable Energy System
• Hydro
• Nuclear
• Wind
• Solar
• Biomass
Transmission
• Other
Storage &
Distribution
Increased
Revenue
& Jobs
• Transportation
• Commercial
• Industrial • Institutional
• Residential • Export
Reduced
Emissions
Increased Jobs
• Oil
• Gas
• Bitumen
Pipeline,
Processing,
Storage &
Distribution
CS 4
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CLIMATE STRATEGIES
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OPINION
Nuclear energy – the platform for a better energy future
By Don MacKinnon,
President, Power Workers’ Union
C
anadians recognize that energy
underpins the quality of our
standard of living. As consumers, we are increasingly demanding
that the energy we buy is clean and
available when we need it at a price
we can afford. Simply put, Canadians
want long-term energy supplies that
are from environmentally responsible,
reliable, affordable and secure sources.
We will need more from energy
sources that can cost-effectively help
reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all sectors of the economy
while concurrently creating jobs and
sustaining and growing our economy.
The current debates in Ontario about
mitigating high electricity prices while
Nuclear Energy:
S A tSmart
I
t
gy
Investment for
the Environment
and Economy
Canada’s environmental and economic future depends on securing long-term, reliable,
affordable energy while systematically reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and
managing the undetermined costs
of decarbonizing the transportation,
building and industry sectors illustrate
the complexity of the challenge.
Significant decarbonization means
switching from fossil fuels to more
low-carbon electricity. Meeting this increased electricity demand, even with
successful conservation programs, will
require building more sources to produce it. Fortunately, there is growing
recognition that these outcomes will
not be achievable without sustaining
and increasing the role of nuclear energy in Canada’s energy mix.
Hydropower currently provides
about 25 per cent of Ontario’s electricity, with 60 per cent, from low-carbon
nuclear. Unfortunately, Ontario has
developed most of its commercially
viable hydroelectric potential. Others promote dramatically increased
hydropower imports from Quebec
as an option, ignoring the high cost
and revenue flow out of Ontario.
Also overlooked is the fact that today
Ontario’s nuclear reactors are needed
to help Quebec meet its electricity
demands, support the refill of their reservoirs and provide insurance against
the impacts of climate change on annual precipitation levels.
Wind and solar proponents point
out that this generation produces
“zero-emission” electricity. That’s
true when the sun is shining and the
wind is blowing, but about 70 per
cent of the time some form of backup
generation is required. In Ontario,
carbon-emitting natural gas generation mostly plays this role.
As a result, billions of dollars in
ratepayer-supported subsidies have
flowed to big multinational wind and
solar developers and for natural gas
imports. More of this fuel now comes
from environmentally questionable
Analyses also demonstrate
that nuclear power provides
the earliest and most costeffective path to emissions
reductions. It is a smart,
Canadian solution for the
continued electrification
of the economy, including
powering zero-emission
electric vehicles and public
transit, the development
of a hydrogen economy
and decarbonization of
our building and industry
sectors.
creating jobs and economic growth.
Experience in Ontario and New Brunswick shows that nuclear energy can provide
the foundation.
Large volumes of low-cost, low-carbon electricity; tens of thousands of high-skilled,
good paying jobs; global-leading, innovation-focused R&D; and domestic, clean energy
security that keeps dollars here for decades to come.
Expert analyses show nuclear energy is a cost-effective way to tackle climate change
and decarbonize our economy, while creating economic growth.
Decarbonization requires switching from fossil fuels to more low-carbon electricity
to power our daily transportation, housing and industrial activities.
Nuclear energy is a smart, Canadian solution that will help provide the GHG emissionfree baseload electricity needed to underpin this transformation.
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FROM THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HELP KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
U.S. shale gas. In 2015, almost three
billion dollars flowed out of Ontario
for natural gas imports.
Others are promoting emerging
technologies like energy storage to
store off-peak power for peak use and
to back up intermittent wind and solar
and enable micro-grids and distributed
renewable energy. Yet the potential
uses, costs of these technologies and
impacts on the existing system like asset stranding and waste management
remain to be determined.
One of Ontario’s renewable energy
advantages comes from the province’s
vast forestry and agriculture-sourced
biomass resources. Successful transformations of the Atikokan and Thunder Bay coal stations to use carbonneutral biomass have sparked valuable
new opportunities. Co-fuelling biomass with natural gas at the idle
Nanticoke and Lambton coal stations
would reduce GHG emissions and
fuel imports. Besides recycling existing generation assets, investments in
the biomass fuel supply chain would
create jobs in Ontario’s forestry and
agricultural sectors and growth in the
emerging bio-economy.
Nuclear is the foundation of Ontario’s and New Brunswick’s electricity
systems. In both cases, nuclear will
be safely providing large volumes
of affordable, baseload, low-carbon
electricity 24/7, week in and week
out for decades to come. As several credible, independent analyses
have shown, investments in Ontario’s
nuclear assets and building two new
nuclear units would deliver tens of
billions of dollars in net incremental
benefits to the economy. This includes
tens of thousands of high-value jobs,
more innovation-focused research
and development and increased opportunities to export Canada’s nuclear
technology and expertise.
Analyses also demonstrate that
nuclear power provides the earliest and most cost-effective path to
emissions reductions. It is a smart,
Canadian solution for the continued
electrification of the economy, including powering zero-emission electric
vehicles and public transit, the development of a hydrogen economy and
decarbonization of our building and
industry sectors.