That Report PLAN2023-041, City of Kawartha Lakes Resolution Calling for Gas-Fired Electricity Generation Phase-Out, be received; and
That Council endorse the Resolution approved by the City of Kawartha Lakes Environmental Advisory Committee on June 29, 2023 as follows:
Whereas the provincial government is planning to ramp up gas plant produced electricity by 1500MW (megawatts) increasing our once clean electrical grid’s greenhouse gas emissions by 400% by 2030 and 800% by 2040 (compared to the 2017 level);
And whereas municipalities can influence 50% of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, according to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities;
And whereas the federal government is set to introduce the Clean Energy Act that will commit Canada to net zero emissions from our electrical system by 2035 which threatens to create stranded expensive gas plants that are now being expanded;
And whereas these plants rely on imported gas obtained by environmental damaging fracking;
And whereas a dirtier electrical system will hurt our competitive position in the global cleantech marketplace and overall emerging low-carbon economy;
And whereas the City of Kawartha Lakes’ own Health Environment Plan commits us to a reduction of global greenhouse gases by 2030 which will be more difficult with a dirtier electrical system;
And whereas Ontario led the country in reducing emissions by shuttering its coal fired power plants and could do the same with natural gas;
Therefore Be It Resolved That the City of Kawartha Lakes joins 34 other Ontario municipalities in requesting that the Government of Ontario develop and implement a plan to phase-out all gas-fired electricity generation as soon as possible, and instead increase support for proven renewable energy technologies and energy storage, energy efficiency and renew its contract to purchase available clean Quebec Hydro-electricity; and
That this resolution be forwarded to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Energy, Northern Development, and Mines and the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, as well as all party leaders and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.