Generating jobs in Ontario by conserving energy use

by mbuckstein | September 4, 2013 11:39 am

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A report released by Blue Green Canada suggests decreasing Ontario’s energy consumption 25 per cent by 2025 will generate 25,000 jobs in the province.

The group is an alliance of labour unions and organizations advocating for the environment and those working in the sector. The overall recommendation is for the province to look at conserving energy before creating new means of generating, Blue Green Canada’s Keith Brooks told Construction Canada Online.

“The key thing is to prioritize conservation over new generation,” he said. “Conservation costs three to nine times less than generation, and it’s more labour-intensive, which means more jobs are created per dollar spent.”

The report, “More Jobs, Less Pollution,” also suggests the government create a target strategy moving forward to maximize the benefit for workers and the economy. Various industries and trades will see an increase, explains Brooks.

“There will obviously be a boost for the trades as a result of the installation of furnaces, high-efficiency windows, and insulation,” he said. “There will also be a boost to manufacturing for two reasons. First, controlling energy means controlling costs, which makes our manufacturing sector more competitive. Secondly, Ontario is well-positioned to manufacture many of the high-efficiency products which will be in demand here, and across the world.”

Click here to access the full report.

Source URL: https://www.constructioncanada.net/generating-jobs-in-ontario-by-conserving-energy-use/

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