Tag Archives: Ontario election

Premier Wynne talks leadership and politics at Alma Mater in Richmond Hill

"Andrea Horwath’s decision to force this election has put all of these improvements at risk of Tim Hudak’s slash and burn agenda." Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne
“Andrea Horwath’s decision to force this election has put all of these improvements at risk of Tim Hudak’s slash and burn agenda.” Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne

Premier Kathleen Wynne spoke to high school students about leadership today at a Free the Children event at Richmond Hill High School. A proud graduate of Richmond Hill High School, Premier Wynne was excited to return to her alma mater. She joined Marc Kielburger and Free the Children to discuss leadership and her values as Premier.

Wynne told the students that leadership is about standing up for what’s right, even when others try to shout you down. Leaders have a vision, and they are willing to work with others to make it a reality.

As Ontario Premier, Wynne has led by making the tough decisions that are necessary to ensure our economic recovery and make our province a better place to live and do business, including:

·Ontario Liberals introduced the 30% Off Tuition Grant, which saves eligible students with $1,730 on tuition in degree programs and $790 for students in diploma or certificate programs. Last year, the grant supported about 230,000 students with the cost of post-secondary.

·Investing $295 million over two years for the highly successful Ontario Youth Jobs Strategy, which gives young people the opportunity to gain a foothold in the job market. The strategy has already helped over 10,000 young people get work experience and find jobs.

·Standing up to Stephen Harper and the federal government after they refused to address the emerging pension crisis. Premier Wynne proposed an Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, a made-in-Ontario solution to help people save for their retirement.

·Kathleen Wynne Liberals have a plan that includes more than $11 billion for elementary and secondary education infrastructure and $11.4 billion in major hospital expansion and redevelopment projects.

Andrea Horwath’s decision to force this election has put all of these improvements at risk of Tim Hudak’s slash and burn agenda.

On June 12, Ontarians will choose between Premier Wynne’s plan for jobs and growth and Tim Hudak’s radical cuts.

QUOTE

“There’s nothing more inspiring than speaking with young people. I can’t wait to see the great leaders that they become. I believe that leadership is about making tough decisions – ones that provide opportunity now, as well as into the future. That’s what I will continue to do as Premier of Ontario.”

– Premier Kathleen Wynne

QUICK FACTS

·Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals have a 10-year plan for a stronger Ontario that includes creating jobs with a new $2.5 billion Jobs and Prosperity Fund.

·Our plan includes investing $130 billion in transit, infrastructure, hospitals and schools to make Ontario a better place to live and do business.

·According to the Mowat Centre, the people of Ontario contributed $11 billion more to the federal government than they received in return in 2009–10. This represents about $850 per Ontarian.  For the Silo, Rebecca MacKenzie

Eat Right Ontario

Things You Find Out After An Election

Two weeks after the last ballot was cast in the election, we in Ontario learned of approvals for more electricity increases. The same day we also heard we may soon be paying the highest price for electricity in the developed world.
According to energy analyst Parker Gallant, and University of Guelph’s Glenn Fox, the McGuinty government’s wind and solar energy policies will cost about 40 per cent more than their own estimates.
Specifically, Gallant/Fox study states we could see our electricity bills rise 65 per cent by 2015 and 141 per cent by 2030. After first predicting they would hold the line at one per cent, government admitted a few months ago to increases of 46 per cent and 100 per cent!
Why the discrepancy? According to Gallant/Fox, a number of costs were omitted from the government’s green energy estimates. Excluded were costs like inflation, transmitting electricity from wind and solar facilities, the capital cost of turbines and the need for backup generation. For example, the study indicates costs for back-up generation to power up when the wind dies and the sun hides will come in at 9.6 billion instead of the predicted of $1.8 billion.
Rising costs are already taking their toll. Rates have risen by 75 per cent and we see businesses closing, industry heading south, and families struggling to pay the bills. Imagine the impact if the figures in the Gallant-Fox study are borne out. It’s hard to comprehend how businesses and family incomes will be able to afford life when their electricity bills hit the roof. How do businesses compete with those from jurisdictions where energy prices are much lower? How do families pay dramatically increasing energy bills?
The latest indication that we are seeing the Gallant-Fox predictions coming to fruition arrived last week with the post-election announcement through the Ontario Energy Board of an increase in rates. As of November 1st, residential and small business consumers will once again be paying more for their electricity use.
According to the Ontario Energy Board, peak power will cost 10.8 cents a kilowatt hour, while mid- and off-peak power will be 9.2 cents and 6.2 cents a kwh. I recall eight years ago as a government member we locked in electricity rates at 4.3 cents a kwh.

Those costs don’t include the additions of the Harmonized Sales Tax on our electricity bills – not to mention the cost of smart meters themselves. Many of those people and businesses working with smart-metered time of use pricing are unable to “shift” their energy use to “off-peak” times and are therefore hit again with higher cost.
Of course, locally, we know that we have, and continue, to pay the added price of job loss because Mr. McGuinty’s green-at-all-costs obsession. Government’s coal closure directive at Nanticoke OPG will be directly costing our area 400 jobs.
Given the concern – at times outright anger – I heard at the doors and at my office, the continued trend for further hydro increases is worrisome. The fact that we find out the bad news only days after the election raises concern over what further surprises may be in store.
As Opposition, it will be vital for members to work together to hold this government to account on the uncontrollable rise of electricity. For the Silo, Toby Barrett.

Ont. Green Party Says “Will Use SmartMeters To Put $ In Your Pocket”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Green Party Will Use Smart Meters to Put Money in Your Pocket

Toronto, Ontario – Green Party of Ontario Leader, Mike Schreiner announced his party’s commitment to Smart Meter changes that encourage innovative ways for Ontarians to save money by saving energy. Schreiner along with Philip Playfair, the owner of Toronto conservation company Lowfoot, spoke at the home of Barry Martin, a Lowfoot customer.

“The Green Party would use smart meters to save us money, by using them to create a market for conservation,” said Schreiner. “Local entrepreneurs such as Lowfoot have already started businesses that pay people to conserve energy. Energy bureaucrats need to move out of the way to foster innovative ideas like this that reward people for efficiency and conservation.”

The Green Party would develop a Conservation Energy Pool (CEP) to serve as a market for kilowatts saved. The CEP would enable entrepreneurs to develop viable businesses that pay people to save energy verified by available smart meter data.

“Our mission is to generate power plant level generation via energy conservation,” said Playfair. “By engaging Ontarians and providing them with their usage information they can take an active role in conservation.”

The Green Party would end the centralized, command and control conservation programs developed by Ontario Power Authority bureaucrats. The Party’s plan would use existing technology to help individuals and businesses to measure their energy use in order to identify and verify savings.

“Getting involved with Lowfoot was a way to help us learn about conserving. Most of our changes were rudimentary-things,” said Martin. “That said, the social nature, gaming aspect and transparency involved helped us become conscious of our habits in a hurry. We now feel great about lowering our consumption and our costs.”

Your Green MPPs will:

– Develop a market for entrepreneurs to deliver conservation and energy efficient products and programs

– Support innovation and investment to make Ontario a leader in the new Energy Economy

End the command-and-control conservation programs developed by Ontario Power Authority bureaucrats, and empower Local Distribution Companies to develop local programs to meet conservation targets.

About Lowfoot Inc. :
Toronto based, Lowfoot Inc. securely connects to smart meter data and automatically displays the client’s electricity usage. They help manage their client’s electricity, reduce bills and help clients earn rewards for their conservation. They also offer a web based social network of people who are conserving energy, wanting to learn how to conserve energy or are interested in their energy use patterns.

For more information on the Green Party of Ontario’s Energy Plan visit: Silo Direct Link To Green Party Ontario PressSite

Media Contact:
Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
(c) 905-999-5479
(e) rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca
Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Links:
——
Silo Direct Link To Alternative Green Party Ontario PressSite

Ont. Greens Plan – Expanding Combined Heat And Power Projects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

London, Ontario–Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner announced the party’s plan to expand combined heat and power (CHP) targets to conserve energy and establish a more efficient power system in Ontario.

“Eliminating waste is essential to increasing efficiency and reducing utility bills,” said Schreiner. “Most large buildings and factories in Ontario use natural gas to provide heat. Instead of allowing waste heat to escape unused, why not use these same molecules to provide two services: heat and electricity?”

CHP plants have an overall energy efficiency of 80-90%, an improvement on the 33% efficiency of a standard nuclear reactor. Because of their very high efficiency, CHP plants provide an affordable and flexible source of base load power. “CHP can be implemented at factories, schools, hospitals, malls and large commercial buildings,” added Schreiner. “Plus CHP has the added bonus of providing secure backup power in case of power outages. Given the efficiency gains and affordability of electricity generated by CHP, we believe the current generation target of an additional 500 MW from CHP is far too low.”

CHP can be and is often implemented as part of a district heating system that provides efficient low-cost heat to multiple buildings. Schreiner made the announcement in London, which is home to one of the longest-running district power systems in the province.

The Green Party energy plan includes:

* Increasing electrical generation targets and capacity factors for Combined Heat and Power.
* Prioritizing grid access for affordable Combined Heat and Power projects.
* Supporting the development of efficient district heating and clean energy recovery projects, which includes amending the Ontario Energy Board Act to allow Ontario’s electric and gas utilities to invest in district energy projects.

Media Contact: Rebecca Harrison Director of Communications Green Party of Ontario (c) 905-999-5479
rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca

Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada

Ontario Liberals: Too Many Architects Mopping Floors, Driving Taxis

TORONTO – The Ontario Liberal Plan will help highly educated new Canadian citizens get on-the-job training needed to be certified in their chosen profession, Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural Resources in the Ontario Liberal government said today.

“We have too many engineers and architects driving taxis and mopping floors,” Jeffrey said. “We need everyone at their full potential and contributing to our economy, so we can create even more jobs.”
Too often, highly educated new Canadian professionals face barriers gaining the on-the-job training and Canadian work experience they need to become certified in their profession. The new No Skills Left Behind Training Credit would provide a tax credit worth up to $10,000 for business expenses related to on-the-job training for up to one year. It is anticipated the tax credit would help about 1,200 Ontarians annually gain training they need to be recognized in their profession.

This builds on other training programs and tax credits that help Ontarians train for new jobs. For example, workers laid-off during the global recession can be retrained for a second career. The Second Career program has supported over 47,000 Ontarians so far in long-term retraining programs, providing up to $28,000 in direct support for tuition and living expenses. To date, 75 per cent of graduates have found work.

Other programs and training tax credits already available to Ontarians and businesses include:

* Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit – up to $10,000 per year for 4 years to
help with cost of in-school training

* Nursing Graduate Job Guarantee – placed over 10,000 new nurses in jobs so far

* Summer Jobs Strategy – helps 100,000 students gain on-the-job experience

* Targeted Initiative for Older Workers – helps older workers increase their
ability to find and keep a job while the local economy changes

* Small Business Enterprise Centres – helped over 11,500 businesses last
year create over 13,000 jobs
“Ontario’s economy is on track, but we all need to be at our best in order to compete and win,” Greg Sorbara, MPP for Vaughan said. “This is all about making sure no skills are left behind, strengthening our economy and creating even more jobs.”

For further information –

Ontario Liberal Party Media Office:

416 961-3800 ext. 328

Provincial Green Party Pledge To Stop Mega-Quarry Developments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEGA-QUARRY MUST BE STOPPED, SAYS GREEN PARTY

HORNINGS MILLS, ONTARIO – Today, the provincial and federal Green Party joined community members in Melancthon Township in calling for a stop to the proposed mega-quarry. The two Leaders joined candidate Rob Strang for two stops in Hornings Mills and Alliston.

“It’s time to put our water supply, our farmland and our communities first,” said Mike Schreiner, Green Party of Ontario Leader. “The Environmental Assessment for this project is a good first step, but we need to stop this thing altogether and plug the loopholes in the law that allow projects like this to happen.”

Elizabeth May, Leader Green Party of Canada, agrees. “The magnitude of this quarry is unprecedented, and will have significant impact on the surrounding land and water. At the very least, this quarry needs to be subject to a joint federal-provincial review panel,” says May.

In Ontario, a mega quarry as deep as Niagara falls and 1/3 the size of Toronto does not require an environmental assessment. Yet building a barn does. Clearly, there are critical flaws in the rules that are in place to protect our farmland and water supply.

Dufferin-Caledon Green Party Candidate and party critic for the Environment and Natural Resources Rob Strang, added his concerns regarding the length of time before a final decision will be made.

“I urge the government to remember that this is a very stressful time for local residents. They should be protected by laws and regulations that protect Ontario’s farmland, farming communities and our water supply. If elected, I will be tireless in my efforts to ensure that this project does not go ahead, and that we fix the legislation so that communities and farmland aren’t put in jeopardy in the future.”

The Green Party of Ontario is committed to:

· Revising the _Aggregate Resources Act_ to create incentives for more efficient use of aggregates, aggregate recycling and stronger site rehabilitation efforts. Requiring a full Environmental Assessment for aggregate applications that meet the Ministry of Natural Resource’s definition of a mega quarry (currently 150,000,000 tonnes)

· Changing the Ontario Policy Statement to protect Class 1, 2, 3 and 4 farmland. Preservation and protection of our farmland, water resources and natural heritage needs to be a high priority in Ontario.

For more on the Green Party plan please visit: Silo Direct Link To Green Party Website

Rebecca Harrison
Cell: 905-999-5479
Office: 416-977-7476
Toll Free: 888-647-3366
Email: rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca

Sent from Green Party of Ontario

PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada