February 2004

OSPE promotes energy agenda in pre-budget submission
Each year, the Ontario Government puts out an open call for submissions as part of its pre-budget consultations. This year, the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers released its first pre-budget submission, as prescribed by our Advocacy Plan. The submission included several recommendations on energy spending.

The pre-budget consultations give stakeholders the opportunity to offer direction and suggestions as to how the financial future of the province should unfold over the course of the next year. On the heels of the January release of the Province’s Electricity Conservation and Supply Task Force Final Report, the Society seized the opportunity to strongly suggest that funding for electricity infrastructure, distribution, generation and conservation be addressed in this budget.

“Ontario’s engineers know there is no single ‘technological fix’ for the problems affecting Ontario’s electricity system,” said OSPE President and Chair Daniel J. Young, M.Eng., P.Eng in the submission. “We believe a significant investment in infrastructure for distribution and generation problems must be implemented hand-in-hand with serious and sustained conservation practices if we are to create a system that fuels Ontario’s economy and provides reliable, cost-effective power to consumers.”

In the submission, OSPE recognized that the Ontario Government has some very difficult decisions to make regarding electricity production and use. In addition to offering the assistance of Ontario engineers to the government in an advisory capacity, the Society made several recommendations regarding how the Province could achieve long-term, reliable, cost-efficient and environmentally appropriate electricity production. For example:

  • Conservation must be a priority. Incentives, such as tax credits for consumers, businesses and municipalities that implement conservation measures, should be expanded.
  • The Province should establish a central Office of Energy Efficiency responsible for coordinating demand-side management and demand response activities.
  • Rates for electricity must reflect the true cost of generation and delivery. A gradual rate increase will stimulate conservation and provide needed financial resources for infrastructure investment.
  • A Generation Secretariat should be established to create a positive, stable environment for investment in generation infrastructure.

This year’s pre-budget submission was spearheaded by OSPE’s Energy Working Group. The Working Group is charged with examining the government’s energy policies and determining the best ways for engineers to contribute their expertise. All submissions went to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs for consideration.

View the Society’s Pre-Budget Submission now. For updates on the Energy Working Group, please continue to consult the “Advocacy” section at www.ospe.on.ca.