Consider stands on water power before you cast your vote

As we head into the final week of the Provincial Election campaign there is an issue that I do not believe has received enough critical attention – the future of waterpower in Ontario.
Eastern Ontario has a proud history of waterpower production with more than thirty (30) facilities producing enough affordable, reliable electricity to serve the needs of over 1.6 Million homes.
Yet, when all party leaders talk about energy in this campaign they seldom reference waterpower.  During the televised leaders debate there was a lot of talk about clean energy sources, but not once did the leaders engage in the debate of how to harness the waterpower that has not yet been developed in Ontario.
There is considerable new waterpower potential in eastern Ontario. In Marmora, for example, there is a great example of this un-tapped potential.   Northland power has proposed an innovative pumped storage project which would bring the mine in that town back to life, and use.  The project would invest more than $600 Million, create more than 800 new construction jobs in the area, and would produce 400 MW of power.
The Ontario Waterpower Association has identified an additional 5,000 MW of waterpower that can economically develop and add to the grid.  5,000 more MW of “Made in Ontario” power that is our most affordable, reliable and durable form of electricity.
Waterpower has an important part to play in the reliability and sustainability of Ontario’s energy supply mix.  That is why the Ontario Waterpower Association is asking candidates in this election- particularly ones with projects in their ridings – what their position is on the future of waterpower in Ontario.
We hope that you, as a voter, will also consider this as you decide who to cast your ballot.
To learn more about the party’s positions on waterpower, please visit:    http://www.owa.ca
Paul Norris, President, Ontario Waterpower Association