Ontario: Leading Canada's Green Economy - A Lesson For British Columbia
In September, the Ontario government announced a series of initiatives in the renewable energy sector which are designed to open up investment opportunities in that province's green economy on its way to establishing Ontario as "North America's leader in renewable energy" (its words not mine).
Ontario calls its initiatives the "Ten Steps to Green Energy". Below is a list of those ten steps, along with some comparison to what has or has not been done in British Columbia.
1. Ontario announced it will close four coal-fuelled power units in 2010 - four years ahead of the 2014 target. In BC, we do not have coal-fired electricity generation facilities, but BC Hydro's aging Burrard Thermal, which burns natural gas to create electricity, still exists. A decision on its closure is expected, but has not yet been made.
2. Ontario launched an Aboriginal Energy Partnerships Program. In BC, there is the Remote Community Clean Energy Program which last year provided $20 million to remote communities to encourage and support sustainable remote community clean energy systems.
3. Ontario announced the $250 million Aboriginal Loan Guarantee program (ALGP). In BC, there is no similar program, except as mentioned above. I wrote about the Ontario aboriginal program here.
4. Ontario gave the go-ahead to Hydro One to begin work on 20 new transmission projects. In BC, BCTC filed a $5.3 billion Ten Year Capital Plan in 2008, which includes $657 million over 10 years for interconnecting clean and renewable generation. Also recently announced is that the 330 km Northwest Transmission Line will proceed at an estimated cost of $404 million.
5. Ontario, through the Community Energy Partnerships Program, is trying to make it easier for communities in Ontario to bring green energy projects to life. I am not aware of a similar program in BC, but the Community Energy Association is promoting energy efficiency and alternative energy through community energy planning and project implementation in British Columbia. Here is a good summary of its work.
6. Ontario, through the Municipal Renewable Energy Program, is trying to make it easier for municipalities to bring green energy projects to their communities. I am not aware of a similar program in BC, but the Community Energy Association's vision is somewhat parallel.
7. Ontario established the Renewable Energy Facilitation Office (REFO), to assist developers, communities and municipalities obtain information on developing renewable energy projects in Ontario. In BC, we have Front Counter BC and the BC IPP Office. BC has also published the IPP Guidebook to assist IPP developers through the province's regulatory process.
8. The province's Renewable Energy Approval (REA) process became law by regulation through enactment of the Green Energy Act. There is no similar express renewable energy regulation in BC.
9. Ontario develops domestic content requirements which would ensure at least 25 per cent of wind projects and 50 per cent of large solar projects be produced in Ontario. There is no similar production requirement in BC.
10. Ontario's Green Energy Act became law and by regulation introduces North America's first comprehensive feed-in tariff program that guarantees specific rates for energy generated from renewable sources. There is no Green Energy Act in BC and BC does not have a specific feed-in tariff, but BC Hydro has the Standing Offer Program for projects less than 10MW.
As the above analysis reveals, while it has taken some steps forward, BC has not yet acted in the same cohesive and coordinated manner that Ontario has in its support of the renewable energy sector in this province. In particular, the fact that a pronounced and comprehensive multi-fuel source feed-in tariff for BC has not been proclaimed is one of the greatest differences between BC and Ontario. In my view, this is the principal reason why Ontario today is attracting considerable investment in green energy, while BC waits on the sidelines. The BC government would be wise to examine and learn from the Ontario green energy experience if it truly wants to become a renewable energy powerhouse.
Renewable energy is a very important topic in BC. I welcome your comments and/or suggestions. Feel free to make a direct comment on the blog below and I will post them in due course.
