Forty New Clean Energy Projects to Create 7,000 Jobs in Ontario, Canada

Even more homes and businesses will soon be powered by clean energy as Ontario, Canada takes another step forward in building its clean energy economy.

Through the province’s clean energy Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program, the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has approved 40 new large scale renewable energy projects including solar, wind and water. This will create 7,000 direct and indirect jobs, including construction, operation and maintenance, and attract $3 billion in private sector investment.

These projects represent more than 872 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable power - enough electricity each year to power more than 200,000 homes or a community the size of Burlington. They also mean more jobs and investments in 31 communities across the province. This builds on the 180 FIT projects under development from contracts the OPA announced in April 2010, which represent more than 2,400 MW of power - enough electricity each year to power more than 600,000 homes.

Ontario’s clean energy plan is getting Ontario off smog-producing coal and on to cleaner energy sources like wind, solar and bio-energy. These projects are an important part of the plan, which is making Ontario a global clean energy leader and has sparked a new industry in the province.

The 40 new clean energy projects include: 35 solar projects totalling 257 MW, four wind projects totalling 615 MW, and one 500-kilowatt water project. These new projects will result in at least 240 more wind turbines and at least one million more solar panels in Ontario.

Bringing on new sources of clean energy and attracting new investment is part of the province’s Open Ontario Plan to create jobs and strengthen the economy.

"More and more clean energy businesses are investing in Ontario and creating jobs. These projects create good jobs, power our homes and businesses, hospitals and schools, while cleaning up the air we breathe," said Brad Duguid, Minister of Energy.

"The Feed-In Tariff program is continuing to meet its objective to encourage more renewable energy to be developed in Ontario. Interest in the program continues to be strong, and Ontario will benefit from the new clean, renewable energy that these projects will deliver," said Colin Andersen, CEO, Ontario Power Authority.