Show your opposition to climate-wrecking fossil gas power

By Angela Bischoff, Director of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance

Come out and find out what you can do to help stop the expansion of the generating capacity of the polluting Portlands Gas Plant on the Toronto Waterfront.

We are holding a public meeting at the Ralph Thornton Community Centre (and livestreamed) on Wednesday, July 12^th at 7 p.m. to talk about why Toronto shouldn’t be forced to accept the expansion and increased use of this climate damaging generating station when we have many better options for keeping our lights on.

Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith said he would require companies like Ontario Power Generation (OPG), that want to expand polluting gas plants, to get municipal permission. But it seems the Minister wasn’t really serious. Toronto City Council has firmly said “no” to expanding the Portlands gas plant on the city’s waterfront twice now and Minister Smith has done nothing. Meanwhile, the Independent Electricity System Operator says it will soon give OPG a contract to expand Portlands. It will also call on OPG to increase the usage of Toronto’s No. 1 greenhouse gas polluter.

Ramping up the use of the Portlands plant will undercut all of Toronto’s good efforts to slash its climate impact. It is a slap in the face to people throughout the city who are doing what they can to reduce climate damage while preparing for the growing impacts of storms, flooding and forest fires. It also speaks volumes about the Ford government’s complete lack of seriousness when it comes to meeting even its own weak climate targets.

At our townhall on July 12, we’ll have a number of speakers on hand to talk about ways to fight the terrible idea of increasing the use of fossil gas power in the middle of a climate crisis:

·       Peter Tabuns, MPP (confirmed)

·       Mike Schreiner, MPP, Green Party of Ontario Leader (confirmed)

·       Mary- Margaret McMahon, MPP (confirmed)

·       Julie Dabrusin, MP (invited)

·       Todd Smith, Ontario Energy Minister (invited)

·       Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, MP (invited)

We need to show the Ford Government that Toronto is not going to accept its climate wrecking energy plans. Please reserve a spot to come out in person or to watch the event livestreamed.

We need all hands on deck to fight this bad plan, which is why we’re delighted to have a number of organizations co-hosting this townhall with us, including: ClimateFast, The Pocket Change Project, For Our Kids Toronto, Toronto350, Ontario Climate Emergency Campaign, Toronto East End Climate Collective, and Environmental Defence.

We’re seeing with our own eyes what a future of unchecked climate change is going to look like. Doug Ford’s energy plans are adding fuel to the fires. The last thing we need now is more burning.