Ontario Government Narrowly Defeats Anti-Renewable Energy Proposal

April 19, 2013 - PRLog -- The Ontario legislature has defeated proposed legislation that would have serious curtailed the province’s feed-in tariff for solar and wind energy.

Bill 39, An Act to provide for control by local municipalities over renewable and affordable energy undertakings, was introduced as a private members bill by Lisa Thompson, the energy critic for the opposition Conservative party.  

It was introduced in March but was defeated on second reading Thursday by a vote of 40 to 33.

The Bill would have prohibited the installation or operation of industrial wind turbines unless authorized by municipal by-law and would have given municipalities the power to outlaw conservation investments.  Thompson explained that the Green Energy Act and a planned expansion of wind energy would raise the cost of electricity by 40% to 60%.  It would have prohibited the provincial power authority from contracting for the supply of electricity from renewable energy sources "unless the price for the supply or capacity does not exceed the price that would be payable if the supply or capacity were derived from non-renewable energy sources."

Ontario has a minority government managed by the Liberal party, but the new premier must table a budget next month that could precipitate an election.

canadian association for renewable energies (we c.a.r.e.) promotes feasible applications of green power, green fuels and green heat.