Polls Show Overwhelming Support for Ontario Green Energy Act
> TORONTO, April 26 /CNW/ -
>
> A vast majority of Ontarians support Ontario's proposed Green
> Energy
> Act, according to a public opinion poll released today by a
> coalition of
> environmental groups, farmers, labour unions, and industry
> associations.
> Eighty seven per cent (87%) of respondents said they support the
> proposed
> Green Energy Act. The poll shows support is widespread across the
> province,
> with the highest support in Northern Ontario (93%), Toronto (89%),
> and the
> GTA/905 (88%)
>
> "It's not surprising that a majority of Ontario would support the
> Green Energy Act. It puts Ontarians ahead of the game in protecting
> the
> environment and investing in the green economy," said Deb Doncaster,
> Executive Director of the Community Power Fund. "What is surprising
> is how
> widespread the support is. In every region of Ontario there is strong
> support for the Green Energy Act."
>
> The poll also shows strong support in regions where proposed
> renewable
> energy projects are considered controversial. Both Scarborough and
> Essex
> County residents showed high levels of support for the Green Energy
> Act, 92
> and 86 per cent respectively. Support in Scarborough was a full 4
> per cent
> above the provincial average level of support for the Green Energy Act
> itself.
>
> "News reports would have us believe that Scarborough is a
> hotbed of
> anti-wind sentiment, but the poll clearly shows that this is
> manufactured
> and exaggerated," said Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of
> Environmental
> Defence. "Plans to test the offshore wind potential are supported by a
> majority of those living in Scarborough who want to see renewable
> energy in
> their city."
>
> Seventy-nine per cent (79%) of Scarborough residents support
> Toronto
> Hydro's plan to put a wind measuring device off the Scarborough
> shore, while
> 84 per cent of Essex County residents support plans to build wind
> farms
> there.
>
> "What we're seeing in Essex County and Scarborough is not only
> strong
> support for the Green Energy Act, but strong support for local wind
> energy
> initiatives," said Dan Arnold of Pollara.
>
> Ontarians who took part in the poll see the main long-term
> benefits of
> the Act as a reduction in Ontario's greenhouse gas emissions (36%)
> and the
> creation of green jobs (19%). Over three quarters of respondents (78%)
> believe that the Green Energy Act will have a positive impact on
> Ontario's
> job market.
>
> Ontarians are also willing to invest in green energy themselves.
> Twenty six per cent (26%) said they would be very likely to invest
> in solar
> panels on their own roof, 21 per cent said they would be very likely
> to
> invest in local wind farms and 18 per cent said they would be very
> likely to
> invest in local solar projects.
>
> Pollara conducted a telephone survey of Ontarians on the Green
> Energy
> Act between March 13 and April 9, 2009. In total, 1,203 interviews
> were
> completed, resulting in an overall margin of error of +/- 2.8%, 19
> times out
> of 20. During this same time period, two additional telephone
> surveys were
> conducted in Essex County and Scarborough, of sample sizes 301 and
> 305,
> respectively. They each carry a margin of error of +/- 5.6%, 19
> times out of
> 20.
>
> The poll results are available on the Green Energy Act Alliance
> web
> site at www.greenenergyact.ca.
>
> About the Green Energy Act Alliance: The Alliance's vision is
> to make
> Ontario a global leader in green energy development through the use of
> renewable energy, distributed energy and conservation, creating
> thousands of
> jobs, economic prosperity, energy security, while ensuring climate
> protection. Founding groups include: the Ontario Sustainable Energy
> Association, Community Power Fund, the David Suzuki Foundation,
> Environmental Defence, the First Nations Energy Alliance, the Ivey
> Foundation, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Pembina
> Institute.
> www.greenenergyact.ca.
>
>
> A vast majority of Ontarians support Ontario's proposed Green
> Energy
> Act, according to a public opinion poll released today by a
> coalition of
> environmental groups, farmers, labour unions, and industry
> associations.
> Eighty seven per cent (87%) of respondents said they support the
> proposed
> Green Energy Act. The poll shows support is widespread across the
> province,
> with the highest support in Northern Ontario (93%), Toronto (89%),
> and the
> GTA/905 (88%)
>
> "It's not surprising that a majority of Ontario would support the
> Green Energy Act. It puts Ontarians ahead of the game in protecting
> the
> environment and investing in the green economy," said Deb Doncaster,
> Executive Director of the Community Power Fund. "What is surprising
> is how
> widespread the support is. In every region of Ontario there is strong
> support for the Green Energy Act."
>
> The poll also shows strong support in regions where proposed
> renewable
> energy projects are considered controversial. Both Scarborough and
> Essex
> County residents showed high levels of support for the Green Energy
> Act, 92
> and 86 per cent respectively. Support in Scarborough was a full 4
> per cent
> above the provincial average level of support for the Green Energy Act
> itself.
>
> "News reports would have us believe that Scarborough is a
> hotbed of
> anti-wind sentiment, but the poll clearly shows that this is
> manufactured
> and exaggerated," said Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of
> Environmental
> Defence. "Plans to test the offshore wind potential are supported by a
> majority of those living in Scarborough who want to see renewable
> energy in
> their city."
>
> Seventy-nine per cent (79%) of Scarborough residents support
> Toronto
> Hydro's plan to put a wind measuring device off the Scarborough
> shore, while
> 84 per cent of Essex County residents support plans to build wind
> farms
> there.
>
> "What we're seeing in Essex County and Scarborough is not only
> strong
> support for the Green Energy Act, but strong support for local wind
> energy
> initiatives," said Dan Arnold of Pollara.
>
> Ontarians who took part in the poll see the main long-term
> benefits of
> the Act as a reduction in Ontario's greenhouse gas emissions (36%)
> and the
> creation of green jobs (19%). Over three quarters of respondents (78%)
> believe that the Green Energy Act will have a positive impact on
> Ontario's
> job market.
>
> Ontarians are also willing to invest in green energy themselves.
> Twenty six per cent (26%) said they would be very likely to invest
> in solar
> panels on their own roof, 21 per cent said they would be very likely
> to
> invest in local wind farms and 18 per cent said they would be very
> likely to
> invest in local solar projects.
>
> Pollara conducted a telephone survey of Ontarians on the Green
> Energy
> Act between March 13 and April 9, 2009. In total, 1,203 interviews
> were
> completed, resulting in an overall margin of error of +/- 2.8%, 19
> times out
> of 20. During this same time period, two additional telephone
> surveys were
> conducted in Essex County and Scarborough, of sample sizes 301 and
> 305,
> respectively. They each carry a margin of error of +/- 5.6%, 19
> times out of
> 20.
>
> The poll results are available on the Green Energy Act Alliance
> web
> site at www.greenenergyact.ca.
>
> About the Green Energy Act Alliance: The Alliance's vision is
> to make
> Ontario a global leader in green energy development through the use of
> renewable energy, distributed energy and conservation, creating
> thousands of
> jobs, economic prosperity, energy security, while ensuring climate
> protection. Founding groups include: the Ontario Sustainable Energy
> Association, Community Power Fund, the David Suzuki Foundation,
> Environmental Defence, the First Nations Energy Alliance, the Ivey
> Foundation, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Pembina
> Institute.
> www.greenenergyact.ca.
>