Ontario government standing behind their record on clean energy projects

DAN CEARNS, The Standard

DURHAM/KAWARTHA: Ontario Energy Minister, Todd Smith, praised the Ontario government’s investments in innovative and sustainable energy sources, during a press conference on Friday, December 2nd.

“What we’ve done, to ensure, we can see the growth and stability in our energy sector again, and investment [is] coming back to our province, is put forward a comprehensive electricity plan. This Ontario electricity plan, coupled with the electricity rebate, is ensuring manufacturers in our province are saving 15 to 17 percent on their electricity bills every day,” Minister Smith said, at the press conference in Clarington.

He noted, there are “multi-billion dollar investments” in the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing sector, as an example.

“We saw, under the previous Liberal government, auto factories leaving for other jurisdictions, and those manufacturing jobs leaving for other jurisdictions. Now, we have those EV platforms coming to places like General Motors in Oshawa, here in the Durham Region,” Minister Smith stated.

The energy minister was also asked if the government has a plan to lower electricity costs across the province.

“We are making sure electricity rates remain stable. What we saw under the long-term electricity plan, from the Liberal government, was increases of seven, eight and nine percent year-over-year, through the end of the decade. We’re ensuring, with the programs we have in place, under the guidance of our Premier [Doug Ford] and my colleagues who are here today, we have stable electricity prices, and as a matter of fact, [prices which are] well below the rate of inflation every year.”