Ontario wants fair share of green funding

Ontario Clean Energy Funding seeks Ottawa's fair share, as McGuinty urges federal support over carbon sequestration, challenging Harper's tar sands tilt and aligning provinces for renewables and budget signals before G8 and G20 summits.

According to the Ontario government's analysis of the last federal budget, Ottawa allocated $775 million for dubious "carbon capture and storage" programs in Western Canada and only $125 million for clean energy projects in the rest of the country.

This time around Premier Dalton McGuinty is urging Ottawa, which is accused of an energy double standard in policy, to invest a "fair share" in Ontario's clean energy initiatives.

"If the federal government chooses to support (carbon sequestration), we'd like them to provide comparable levels of financial support for things that we know in fact work, including a proposed Green Act approach," McGuinty said last week. He makes a good point.

McGuinty's request is part of a resolution to be debated at Queen's Park urging Ottawa, despite Ottawa's counterarguments on the file, to "recognize that Canada's success depends on a strong and competitive Ontario."

While Prime Minister Stephen Harper does not always line up to do McGuinty's bidding, green energy is an issue that may suit his own political agenda. Harper continues to be battered by environmentalists over his support for continued expansion of Alberta's tar sands and his faith that unproven carbon sequestration technology will save the day, especially as the U.S. leads in green investments by comparison. Harper could deflect his critics by addressing McGuinty's concerns and, at the same time, burnishing his own green credentials in advance of the G8 and G20 meetings this summer, which will attract worldwide attention.

Ontario is not the only province looking for some signal from Harper's Conservatives that they see an energy future for Canada that is greener than Alberta's tar sands. Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia are also pushing in this direction, with Quebec and Ontario cooperation on power already underway. The budget would be a good place for Harper to send the signal.

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