The Pembina Institute's work in Ontario is handled jointly by our Environmental Governance team and Sustainable Communities Group.

Our Work

Within Ontario, our team continually assesses the Ontario government's electricity policies, and engages policy makers and the public in critical discussions of the future of Ontario's energy systems

• tracks progress in implementing low-impact renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions, makes suggestions for new policies and programs based on our research, and provide input to consultation processes
• promotes "smart growth" policies to limit urban sprawl, including policies for land use planning, infrastructure funding, fiscal and taxation issues, sustainable energy and governance structures.

Power Sector Policy Assessment

In 2004, the Pembina Institute provided the first comprehensive assessment in more than a decade of energy efficiency and low-impact renewable energy potential in Ontario.

Two key findings of that report were that

• power demand in Ontario could be reduced by the equivalent of 15,000 MW by 2020
• a total of 9,600 megawatts (MW) of identified potential wind, biomass and small-scale hydro generating capacity could be in place by 2018.

Our team has since provided follow-up assessments of Ontario's progress in implementing energy efficiency measures and renewable energy production, as well as recommendations for advancing a sustainable electricity system for the province.

The Pembina Institute has also provided commentary on Ontario's proposal to expand the use of nuclear power, and conducted studies on the risks, impacts and sustainability of nuclear power and clean coal power technologies compared with other potential energy sources.

Members of our team give numerous presentations on electricity, energy efficiency and renewable energy issues in Ontario and have been quoted extensively in leading print and electronic media in Ontario on electricity and renewable energy issues in the province.

Conservation and Demand Management Policy and Program Design

The Pembina Institute works with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and is a member of its conservation and demand management Program Design Advisory Group (PDAG). This group is helping the OPA design standard efficiency programs to be delivered by local power distribution companies across Ontario.

Our 2006 report, A Quick Start Energy Efficiency Strategy for Ontario, provided a series of model energy efficiency programs that could and would move Ontario quickly towards the government's goal of a "conservation culture". Recommendations drawn from experiences in California, Vermont and New York were applied to Ontario to demonstrate how the province could better manage energy demand.

For more information, review our publications on Ontario Energy Policy, or contact

Mark S. Winfield, Ph.D.

• Director, Environmental Governance
• Email: markw(at)pembina.org
• Phone: 416-978-3486