The Problem
Watch the video to learn more about Ontario’s polluting gas plants
Ontario prides itself on having a mostly clean electricity supply due to ending the use of highly polluting coal power. But Ontario’s electricity supply is about to get a lot dirtier.
Ontario is planning to massively ramp up the use of “natural” gas – a fossil fuel – to generate electricity. Gas power creates greenhouse gas emissions which are bad for the climate and nitrogen oxides which are harmful to human health. Gas is also mostly methane – a potent greenhouse gas that is driving climate change in the near term.
The Solution
Ontario needs to phase out, not ramp up the use of fossil gas to generate electricity. And it’s possible if Ontario invests in clean solutions like solar and wind, along with battery storage which allows the energy to be used when needed.
But Ontario is planning to build new gas plants. Tell the Federal government to step in. Take Action
Where are we likely to see new gas plants built?
Southern Ontario has been identified as a target area for new gas projects. And existing gas plants are prime candidates for expansions. So we’re likely to see (and have already seen) gas expansion proposals pop up in places with gas plants, including: Windsor, Sarnia, St. Clair Township, Brampton, Toronto, Halton Hills, Newmarket, Greater Napanee, Kingston, and the Ottawa area.
In the Greater Toronto Area, the gas plants in Brampton, Halton Hills and Toronto are already among the region’s biggest polluters. Adding more gas generation will make these facilities a lot more polluting.
Find out more about these gas plants and why Ontario must phase out – not ramp up – fossil gas power.
BRAMPTON'S GOREWAY GAS PLANT
- Brampton's largest emitter of greenhouse gases which are bad for the climate
- Brampton's third largest emitter of nitrogen oxides which are harmful for human health.
- The GTA's fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases
THE HALTON HILLS GAS PLANT
- Halton Hills' largest emitter of greenhouse gases which are bad for the climate
- Halton Hills' largest emitter of nitrogen oxides which are harmful for human health
- The GTA's second largest emitter of greenhouse gases
TORONTO'S PORTLANDS GAS PLANT
- Toronto's largest emitter of greenhouse gases which are bad for the climate
- Toronto's largest emitter of nitrogen oxides which are harmful for human health
- The GTA's fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases
Take Action
At a time when we urgently need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Ontario is planning to increase them by using a lot more polluting fossil gas to generate electricity.
Take action and tell the Federal government to ensure Ontario can’t build new gas plants.
Blogs
Greenhouse gas pollution from Ontario’s gas plants are set to increase by over 400 per cent by 2030 and by almost 800 per cent by 2040 (compared to the 2017 level).
But it doesn’t have to be this way – there are solutions including renewable energy, energy storage and energy efficiency.
