Parry Sound-Muskoka Green Party

On Nov. 23 the Government of Ontario released its updated Long-Term Energy Plan. The 20-year plan includes closing all coal-fired plants by 2014, increasing power supply from renewable sources to 13 per cent by 2018, expanding hydroelectric power and relying on nuclear power for half of the province’s power supply.  Under the plan, the province pledges to bring more clean power online and reduce the cost to consumers by encouraging conservation.

But bringing on renewable energy does not come without a toll. According to the plan, “residential and small business electricity bills are forecasted to increase by 3.5 per cent annually over the next 20 years.”
But, the previous week in their fall economic statement, the same government predicted that electricity rates would rise by 46 per cent over the next five years.
The Long-Term Energy Plan reiterates the government’s pledge to take 10 per cent off monthly electricity bills for families, farms and small businesses starting Jan. 1, 2011.
As time-of-use billing rolls out across the province and Muskoka, a move that critics predict will raise home hydro bills, the government has backtracked on setting the off-peak period, changing it from 9 p.m. to 7 p.m. This will increase the lower rate period by two hours a day.
Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner called the plan shortsighted and fiscally irresponsible.   “Both the Liberals and Conservatives are proposing the highest cost and highest risk strategy to keep our lights on: investment in new nuclear capacity,” he said.  

The Green Party recommends a priority on investment in conservation and energy efficiency.   “Presenting a realistic strategy for the residents of Parry Sound-Muskoka to use less electricity is a simple step forward to addressing our energy problems,” said provincial Green Party candidate and Port Sydney resident Matt Richter.

Richter would like to see Ontario prioritize community power projects that are locally owned and locally planned.   “Consider the controversy surrounding the Bala Falls project,” he said. “And how different the scenario could have played out if the entire community were part of the process.  Either the project would have been cancelled a long time ago, or with unanimous support, the direct social and financial benefits would belong to the residents.  To quote a resident from the Danish island of Samsoe when speaking of a locally owned windmill project, “When the corporation owns the windmills, windmills are ugly.  When the people own the windmills, windmills are beautiful.”