"McGuinty tries to fool us again on coal plants" - Tory

Ontario’s Official Leader of the Opposition, John Tory, says that the McGuinty government is trying to fool the province once again on coal plants.

The statement comes on the heels of Energy Minister Dwight Duncan’s news release that states emissions from Ontario's Coal-Fired Plants have reached their lowest levels in a generation.

Full details contained in the two news releases below.

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Queen's Park - Progressive Conservative Party Leader John Tory said that a statement this morning by the Energy Minister shows Dalton McGuinty is still trying to mislead Ontarians about the province's coal plants.

"The truth is the McGuinty Liberals have done absolutely nothing to clean up emissions from these coal plants. Once again they are trying to fool people with numbers which largely reflect nuclear reactors coming back on stream as opposed to a single pro-active step taken by Mr. McGuinty and his government," said Tory. "Dalton McGuinty recklessly promised to close the coal plants entirely by 2007. He broke that promise and then said they would close by 2009, and now he's changed it to 2014.

"The bottom line is Dalton McGuinty has broken and re-broken his coal plant promise so many times it's hard to keep track," said Tory. "At the same time, our air has been getting worse because Dalton McGuinty refused to do anything to clean up the actual emissions coming from those coal plants. Ontarians are getting tired with this government not being straightforward with them and saying anything to get elected."

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Queen's Park - Greenhouse gas emissions from Ontario's remaining coal-fired generation stations have dropped by 29 per cent since the McGuinty government took office in 2003 and are now below 1990 levels, according to 2006 figures.

"Ontario's reduction in emissions has been the most significant in a generation," said Energy Minister Dwight Duncan. "By replacing coal-fired generation with conservation and cleaner, greener power sources, our government is demonstrating its strong commitment to fighting climate change and protecting the air we all breathe."

Over the past three years, generation from coal plants has fallen 32 per cent, representing a huge reduction in greenhouse gas emissions - this is equivalent to the emissions from more than two million cars, according to the latest figures.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from remaining coal plants decreased by 29 per cent between 2003 and 2006. Emissions from Ontario's coal-fired power plants are now slightly below 1990 levels.

"Energy is key to unlocking the climate change issue," Duncan said. "Ontario stands as the only jurisdiction in North America that has committed to closing its coal-fired power plants. We are doing our part to show leadership in the world's increasing battle against global warming."

Acid rain and smog-causing emission rates last year from sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) were the lowest since 1983, when Ontario started to record this information. SO2 emissions have been reduced by 44 per cent since 2003, while NOx emissions have declined 46 per cent since 2003.

"Ontario is making a difference when it comes to climate change," said Environment Minister Laurel Broten. "Replacing coal will help Ontario reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30 megatonnes - the largest climate change initiative in Canada."

Coal now accounts for 16 per cent of Ontario's overall energy mix - down from 25 per cent in 2003 - as conservation, nuclear power and renewable energy increasingly contribute to the province's total supply.

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