Doug Ford railed against a judge for delaying the removal of bike lanes. Now he's filed an appeal
The injunction was granted by Justice Paul Schabas on April 22 and was expected to stay in place until he delivered a full decision on a Charter challenge brought forward by cycling advocates, who argued that the Ford government's attempt to take out bike lanes in downtown Toronto infringed on their Charter rights to life and security of person.
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National Observer
15 hours ago
- National Observer
Ford's new energy plan for Ontario increases reliance on nuclear, fossil fuels
The Ford government is projecting a major shift toward nuclear power to meet rising electricity demand and support Ontario's transition to net-zero emissions by mid-century. Its newly released long-term Energy for Generations plan — billed as the province's first-ever integrated energy strategy — also shows an increased reliance on fossil fuels over the next decade, with emissions expected to rise before declining after 2030. The province describes the plan as 'a comprehensive roadmap to meet future energy needs, support new housing, and power the most competitive economy in the G7.' 'As energy demand soars, our plan leverages 'Made-In-Ontario' to build affordable, clean, and always reliable power, built by and for Canadians,' Ontario's Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce said in a statement. The plan will help the province meet growing electricity demand while achieving over 99 per cent zero-emissions electricity by 2050, he added. Critics say the plan misses key opportunities to scale-up renewables, puts energy affordability at risk and increases Ontario's dependence on foreign energy supplies. The plan projects total electricity production in 2050 to be just under 275 terawatt-hours (TWh), with nuclear making up the largest share at over 200 TWh. That means nuclear plants could supply more than 70 per cent of Ontario's electricity by 2050, up from about 50 per cent today. The plan projects the province could need up to 17,800 MW of new nuclear power by 2050, equivalent to building five new Darlington nuclear power stations. Currently, Ontario's nuclear fleet — Bruce, Darlington, and Pickering — provides 12,000 MW of capacity. The plan projects the province could need up to 17,800 MW of new nuclear power by 2050, equivalent to building five new Darlington stations. To support this buildout, the province says it is preparing new nuclear sites and has already begun early engagement with First Nation and local communities. A new nuclear technology panel will guide technology choices and project timelines, with input from Ontario Power Generation, Bruce Power, the Independent Electricity System Operator and government officials. The province says nuclear projects are complex and costly, and it plans to explore new ownership models and equity partnerships to attract private capital and help finance the expansion. It aims to attract investment from Canadian pension funds and institutional investors to 'keep more Canadian energy dollars working here at home,' the province said. 'This isn't a plan — it's a policy statement' Mark Winfield, professor at York University and co-chair of its Sustainable Energy Initiative, said the plan lacks a clear decision-making framework and basic accountability mechanisms. He said there is no process in place to evaluate whether the government's chosen energy path is the most affordable or lowest-risk for the province. 'There is no oversight or review process to assess whether this represents the least-cost or lowest-risk option for Ontario,' Winfield said. By 'review,' Winfield refers to independent assessments — such as those typically conducted by regulatory bodies or outside experts — that evaluate costs, risks, and alternatives before major infrastructure decisions are finalized. Winfield also questioned the long-term focus on nuclear. 'All of the proposed reactor technologies rely on enriched fuel that comes from the United States,' he said. 'This exposes Ontario to new energy security risks.' In recent months, the Ford government has committed billions to nuclear energy, announcing new builds and refurbishments it says will create tens of thousands of jobs. Earlier this year, it unveiled plans for a massive nuclear plant near Port Hope, projected to generate 10,000 megawatts — enough to power 10 million homes — though key details like costs and timelines remain undisclosed. Last week, the province introduced legislation to expand access to Ontario's public clean energy fund for nuclear projects. Industry groups welcomed Ontario's new energy plan, with major players praising the government's commitment to both nuclear power and natural gas. Enbridge Gas called the plan a 'clear affirmation' of the essential role natural gas will continue to play, citing its importance for affordability, grid stability and economic growth. The company said investments in gas infrastructure are foundational to Ontario's prosperity. The Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries also applauded the plan, calling it a bold step toward clean energy leadership. The group highlighted Ontario's strong nuclear track record and said the proposed expansion — including large reactors and SMRs — positions the province to secure long-term clean energy supply. 'Where are the renewables?' Aliénor Rougeot, climate and energy program manager at Environmental Defence, said Ontario's new energy plan could lead to higher household bills, more air pollution and increased reliance on the US fossil gas. While she welcomed the idea of a long-term, integrated approach, she argued that the plan should be replaced with one built on publicly shared modelling. To Rougeot, the most glaring problem is the plan's failure to prioritize wind and solar — Ontario's cheapest and cleanest energy sources. 'I kept flipping through the document, asking: Where are the renewables?' Rougeot said. The supply forecast is particularly troubling to her, as it shows Ontario having less wind and solar in 2050 than in 2030. She believes the refusal to give renewable energy a central role in the province's future grid will come at a high cost — both economically and environmentally. Wind and solar make up approximately nine per cent and two per cent of Ontario's current electricity generation, respectively. In its plan, the government says their role is expected to grow over time. Starting in 2025, nearly 3,000 megawatts of energy storage will be added to the grid. However, the plan argues that nuclear is more cost-effective and land-efficient than wind and solar. It claims that to generate the same amount of energy as a proposed 10,000 MW nuclear station at Wesleyville, Ontario would need roughly 100 times more land for solar and 500 times more land for wind. But new analysis suggests solar doesn't require large tracts of land — for example, more than half of Toronto's electricity needs could be met through rooftop and parking lot solar alone. A new report from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance argues that wind and solar could meet the same energy needs as the proposed Wesleyville nuclear station much faster and at far lower cost — potentially saving the province up to $19 billion annually. It highlights Ontario's untapped potential for offshore wind in the Great Lakes and large-scale solar at the Port Hope site. Another report warns that electricity from new nuclear could cost up to 3.6 times more than onshore wind, three times more than solar, and 1.7 times more than offshore wind. Lia Codrington, a senior analyst at the Pembina Institute, said the province's new energy plan represents a positive step toward long-term planning, noting that many jurisdictions around the world are already moving quickly toward clean energy and decarbonization. She viewed it as important for Ontario to follow that trend — and even potentially lead — by modernizing its electricity system. Codrington questioned the government's argument that land use limits renewable energy expansion. She said wind turbines allow for shared land use — such as farming — and solar panels can be installed on rooftops, parking lots, and other built environments. In her view, decisions about land use should reflect what Ontarians want in their communities when it comes to energy sources, not just technical comparisons in megawatts per square kilometre.
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
Guelph, Ont. council formally condemns resolution letter on Bills 5 and 17
A Guelph, Ont., city councillor's criticism of the Ford government's controversial Bill 5 will be heard at Queen's Park. On Tuesday, city staff unanimously approved Ward 5 Coun. Leanne Caron's resolution of bills 5 and 17. The letter formally condemns the Bills. However, Caron said she's not confident it'll land in the hands of Ontario Premier Doug Ford. 'Bill 23 and Bill 124 did not get more housing built and those were bills in the last term of this government that were promised more housing. So, I just don't believe that this government is listening, and this letter will fall on deaf ears,' Caron said. Bill 5 received royal assent on June 5, and it includes legislation that gives the Ontario government the power to designate some areas as special economic zones to speed up economic development projects. Story continues below advertisement Bill 17, Protect Ontario by Building Faster and Smarter Act, was passed in May and focuses on the province's goal of building more homes, infrastructure and businesses. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Caron said the bill doesn't build economic growth, as it overlooks provincial laws and ignores environmental protections. Critics argue Bill 5 takes away rights from Indigenous groups. Caron said the federal government has a role to play, including Dominique O'Rourke, a former councillor and current MP for Guelph. 'As a former city councillor, she (O'Rourke) was a champion for some of these protections and local land-use planning regulations that we've put in place to build great cities,' Caron said. Global News attempted to contact O'Rourke, but she was unavailable to provide comment by the time of publication. Mike Schreiner, MPP for Guelph and leader of the Green Party of Ontario, said he's happy to see council pass the resolution against the bill. He refers to Bill 5 as a 'power grab' by Ford. 'He's essentially given himself and his hand-picked cabinet ministers the power to select hand-picked companies or projects who can operate in special economic zones and have laws applied or not applied to them,' Schreiner said. Caron also believes Schreiner's voice is being heard in Ottawa. Story continues below advertisement Schreiner said multiple groups of people are expressing their concerns over the bill, including Indigenous organizations, environmental and labour groups, and farmers, and he said it's going to take that kind of citizen mobilization to put pressure on Ford to repeal Bill 5. 'People are mobilizing to oppose Bill 5 in the same way they mobilized to force the premier to backtrack on his plans to open the Greenbelt for development,' he said. Moving forward, Caron said the city will take a wait-and-see approach and continue to focus on issues surrounding affordability and housing. 'There's still a lot that this city needs to do to move forward on our city-building agenda and we're going to need the province to be partners on that,' she said.
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
Greenbelt investigation finds Ford government actions ‘compromised' transparency
Ontario's transparency watchdog says the Ford government's use of personal emails and codewords when it removed land from the Greenbelt provides a 'cautionary tale' on the importance of transparency, in a report lambasting it for poor record-keeping. On Thursday, the Information and Privacy Commissioner's office released a report summarizing the results of a number of freedom of information appeals over Greenbelt decisions and communications. Taken together, the appeals show the government violated 'legal record-keeping obligations,' the report said, adding that the incidents 'erode public trust in the integrity of government decision making.' The report found the government had used 'opaque codewords' to refer to discussions about the Greenbelt, something that 'weakens transparency.' It also expressed surprise at the lack of records showing who made the decision to remove 7,400 acres of protected land from the Greenbelt and what considerations went into it. Story continues below advertisement That land removal decision was announced in November 2022 and met with fierce backlash. It sparked investigations from the auditor general and integrity commissioner and led to resignations of ministers and senior staff, before it was eventually reversed less than a year later. Ontario Premier Doug Ford apologized when he walked back the decision, which the auditor general said would have benefited certain developers to the tune of more than $8 billion. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Almost two years later, the IPC said a lack of records and poorly managed transparency practices have left many questions unanswered. 'When records are lost, destroyed, obfuscated, or never created in the first place, it raises more questions than answers,' the information and privacy commissioner's report said. The report covered questions about deleted emails, setting out the steps taken to try and recover emails that had been destroyed. 'The adjudicator was satisfied with the measures taken despite the technical limitations of recovering any permanently deleted emails,' one line said. Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the potential deletion of emails required further investigation. 'Deleting government records is illegal. The last time this happened; someone went to jail,' she said in a statement. Story continues below advertisement 'When will the Premier finally answer for the disturbing culture of dodging accountability and disappearing records within this government?' The transparency watchdog also issued a number of orders telling staff to search their personal email accounts — and for the premier to search his personal cellphone — due to 'credible evidence' they had been used to make government decisions and avoid access to information requests. The report found the government had demonstrated a 'poor level of commitment' to managing its records properly. 'The IPC's findings in these appeals highlight the urgent need for stronger records management practices, regular staff training, clear policies prohibiting the use of personal email accounts and devices for conducting government business, and a clearly articulated, unwavering commitment to transparency and public accountability,' an extract said. 'Without a full and accurate record of decision-making, the public is left in the dark about government actions that affect their communities and the environment.' An investigation by the RCMP into the Greenbelt decision is still ongoing. Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said he hoped the findings in the report would 'inform' investigators working on the case, which has been underway since October 2023. 'I am also hoping that the IPC report helps inform the RCMP investigation because it just proves, by an independent officer of the legislation, the lengths to which the Ford government has gone to try and cover this up and hide this scandal from the public.' Story continues below advertisement The report added that the government had taken steps since the Greenbelt scandal that 'signal positive movement towards compliance,' stressing that 'oversight remains essential.' A spokesperson for the premier's office said they would work to ensure lessons were learned. 'We will continue to comply with our obligations under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Archives and Recordkeeping Act,' they wrote in a statement. 'As the Commissioner lays out in this report, the government has taken a number of positive steps to strengthen record-keeping practices.'
