Give Green Power a Chance
From Pembina Institute
Thursday, March 01, 2001

OTTAWA – Governments have been subsidizing dirty and dangerous energy sources in Canada for decades. And despite clear indications that fossil fuel and nuclear energy are sunset industries, federal and provincial governments continue to fund them at the expense of low-impact renewables. “Canada is lagging behind most other countries in developing new markets based on clean, renewable energy sources. As a result, Canadians are being denied access to cleaner air and exciting new economic development activities,” says Brenda Morehouse, Manager of www.EcoAction.ca.

The facts speak for themselves:

$40.4 Billion Direct federal spending on fossil fuels between 1970 and 1999
$2.8 Billion Federal loans to fossil fuel industry written off since 1970, over and above direct spending
$16.6 Billion Total subsidies to the nuclear energy industry by the Government of Canada since 1953
$156 Million Federal subsidy to the Canadian nuclear industry in 2000
$55 Million Fossil fuel R&D expenditures by the federal and provincial governments in 2000
$12 Million Total average federal funding for renewable energy each year

This is clearly NOT a level playing field. The Pembina Institute is calling on federal and provincial governments to implement a comprehensive package of policy, legislation, and financial incentives that will strengthen both the demand and supply for renewable energy in Canada. For example, the Institute has joined with Suncor Energy to facilitate an unlikely coalition of industry and environmental groups advocating for change, the Clean Air Renewable Energy Coalition (CARE).

Developing Canada’s low-impact, renewable energy capabilities will have substantial benefits for the environment, the economy, and our health. For every million dollars invested, an average of 36.3 jobs are created in the energy efficiency sector, 12.2 jobs in the renewable energy sector, and only 7.3 jobs in the development of conventional energy. Currently, air pollution, largely from fossil fuel use, kills 16,000 Canadians prematurely each year and results in hundreds of thousands of incidents of illness, absenteeism and asthma attacks – costing the economy billions of dollars. Moreover, Canada has signed the Kyoto Protocol to manage greenhouse gas emissions, and meeting Kyoto’s targets will require us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

60 seconds and 2 clicks. That’s all it takes for you to tell key provincial, territorial and federal officials what they should do to allow Canada to become a global leader in the new energy economy. And www.EcoAction.ca lets you do it.

EcoAction.ca is part of the next generation of Internet tools. It brings democracy closer to home and makes environmental action easy for everyone. Grounded in the Pembina Institute’s solid research and expertise on energy and environment issues, EcoAction.ca offers ‘2-click’ email actions, downloadable postcard and sticker campaigns, strategies for Internet action, and important background materials and links.

Join our Green Power Action campaign leading up to Earth Day.

For more information, contact:
Heidi Lasi
Promotions and Marketing Coordinator
Pembina Institute
(613) 235 6288