The Renewables-Ready Toronto Pledge lets voters know where candidates stand on the city’s clean energy future

Toronto | Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – Environmental Defence Canada and Toronto East Residents for Renewable Energy (TERRE) are calling on all Toronto municipal election candidates to sign the Renewables-Ready Toronto Pledge, committing to champion local clean power and battery storage over polluting gas-fired electricity generation.

One-third of Toronto’s active municipal candidates have signed the pledge, with support spanning 22 of the city’s 25 wards. The pledge helps voters see where candidates stand on Toronto’s energy future. It outlines three priorities for Toronto’s next City Council: expanding local clean energy solutions like rooftop solar, battery storage and energy efficiency; phasing out gas-fired electricity generation at the Portlands Energy Centre; and strengthening Toronto Hydro’s role in the clean energy transition. With Toronto’s electricity demand expected to nearly double in the coming decades, the next Council will face critical decisions about meeting growing energy needs while delivering on the city’s climate commitments.

“At a time when many governments across Canada are backsliding on climate action, Toronto has an opportunity to lead. We need municipal leaders who will champion affordable local renewable energy over polluting fossil fuels,” said Emily Hunter, Senior Program Manager for Ontario Climate at Environmental Defence. “The next Council must prioritize clean energy solutions rather than prolonging our reliance on natural gas, most of which is imported from the United States.”

“The widespread adoption of renewable energy is the only realistic way to meet our energy needs while averting the worst of the climate crisis. It’s unrealistic to think that we can continue with the status quo and the climate will solve itself,” said Mark Friedman, organizer at Toronto East Residents for Renewable Energy (TERRE).

For more information on the pledge, visit: Renewables-Ready Toronto Pledge.

Toronto residents can see which candidates have signed the pledge on the Ontario Clean Air Alliance’s election map.

Background

  • The pledge’s three commitments: 1) Expand local clean energy through distributed energy resources (DERs) and demand-side management (DSM), including rooftop solar, battery storage and energy efficiency; 2) phase out gas-fired electricity at the Portlands Energy Centre by 2035 or sooner; and 3) strengthen Toronto Hydro’s role in expanding renewables and modernizing the grid.
  • Growing support: One-third of Toronto’s candidates have signed the Renewables-Ready Toronto Pledge, including seven sitting councillors, with support spanning 22 of the city’s 25 wards. Eighty candidates have signed, and others are encouraged to add their names here.
  • Why it matters now: Toronto’s electricity demand is expected to nearly double over the coming decades as the city grows and electrifies transportation and buildings. Expanding local renewable energy, battery storage and energy efficiency can help meet rising demand while reducing reliance on polluting gas-fired electricity.
  • Portlands gas plant: The Portlands Energy Centre is one of Toronto’s largest sources of industrial air pollution. In 2024, Toronto City Council called for phasing out gas-fired electricity generation at the plant by 2035, except in exceptional or emergency circumstances totalling fewer than 88 hours annually.
  • Reliance on U.S. natural gas: Roughly 70 per cent of Ontario’s natural gas supply is sourced from the United States, raising concerns about energy security, price volatility and reliance on imported fossil fuels. Expanding Ontario-generated clean power can help reduce this dependence.
  • Toronto’s climate commitments: The pledge supports Toronto’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, which targets net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, and builds on existing City Council directions to expand local clean energy and reduce dependence on gas-fired electricity.

ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.

– 30 –

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Lauren Thomas, Environmental Defence, media@environmentaldefence.ca

Mark Friedman, Toronto East Residents for Renewable Energy (TERRE), markfriedman541@gmail.com