(May 16*) McGuinty Government Creating Clean Energy Jobs

May 16, 2011 2:15 PM

Office of the Premier
ontario.ca/premier

Ontario's Green Energy Act will help the province create 50,000 new clean energy jobs by the end of 2012.

The province's clean energy plan has also helped attract billions of dollars in new investment.

Premier Dalton McGuinty met workers at two companies in southwestern Ontario that are contributing to Ontario's growing clean energy economy. Guelph's Canadian Solar produces solar panels and CS Wind in Windsor will make wind towers. When fully operational, Canadian Solar expects to employ up to 500 workers. At CS Wind, they're planning to employ up to 300 people.

Ontario is replacing dirty, coal-fired plants with cleaner sources of renewable energy like water, wind, solar and bio-energy. It's part of the government's plan to keep costs down for families today, while building a clean, modern and reliable electricity system for tomorrow. Ontario's Green Energy Act has already created 13,000 clean energy jobs.

QUICK FACTS

• Ontario is helping families with the costs of turning on more clean power by taking 10 per cent off electricity bills for the next five years and moving Time of Use to 7 p.m. -- giving families 10 extra hours a week at the discount rate.
• Eight coal plants have been shut down so far. When coal-fired plants are eliminated in 2014, it will be like taking 7 million cars off the road.
• Ontario has added enough new clean power since 2003 to run two million homes. About a fifth of that comes from renewables such as water, wind, solar and bio-energy.
• Since 2003, over 5,000 kilometres of transmission lines have been upgraded -- about the width of Canada from coast to coast.
• More hydroelectric power will be added to Ontario's electricity system in the next eight years than over the previous 40 years.

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* color and emphasis added by the blogger