On Jan. 15, Society President Rebecca Caron attended a big announcement in Port Hope regarding the expansion of new nuclear in Ontario.
The government announced that it has asked OPG to explore opportunities for new nuclear generation at their Wesleyville site and to work with the Port Hope community and the Williams Treaties First Nations to build support for this new project.
The Society applauds the Ontario government for launching this community engagement process, which will allow residents to learn about the benefits of being a nuclear host community. We also applaud these communities for expressing interest in hosting the project.
Ontario’s existing nuclear host communities in Durham and Bruce Counties know well the local economic benefits, good jobs, and boost to small businesses that come with nuclear generation, which is why they are some of the strongest advocates for nuclear power. A meaningful, consent-based engagement process is a crucial first step for residents of Port Hope and Williams Treaty First Nations to enjoy those same benefits.
Members know that, according to the IESO, Ontario will need to triple its nuclear capacity by 2050 in order to meet its clean energy goals. We have long advocated for the government to consider its existing, publicly owned electricity assets in order to more rapidly and efficiently meet our generation needs. If we are going to meet Ontario’s climate goals for the future, we need to dramatically increase our generation of emissions-free nuclear power.
Our nuclear expansion could mean thousands of new Society-represented jobs, which, for members, will mean a stronger union that’s even better positioned to deliver the results that Society members expect and deserve.
The Society looks forward to being an active partner in the engagement process with the Port Hope region and the Williams Treaties First Nations as we all work towards the expansion of Ontario’s emissions-free electricity grid.
We hope that this is the first of many announcements of this kind, as the province ought to continue to look to leverage its existing assets to meet our electrification goals.
Society President Rebecca Caron with Port Hope Mayor Olena Hankivsky.
