Nuclear energy activists target Toronto Centre

By Anisa Lancione –

What has been described as a major new campaign by a local environmental organization has been launched this fall.

The Ontario Clean Air Alliance, working from an office at Church and Charles, has been going door-to-door to promote the Ontario’s Green Future program and to solicit signatures for a petition that will be sent to local MPP George Smitherman, who has recently taken over the provincial energy and infrastructure portfolio.

Darcy Higgins, program manager for Ontario’s Green Future, explains, “We are promoting a nuclear cost responsibility act.”

“The important thing here is that the Ontario government plans to sign a new nuclear contract beginning this March. Nuclear reactors always go over budget and over time—and so the purpose is to prohibit nuclear companies from passing on their cost overrun to the public.”

To that end, Higgins continues, “We have launched an online petition and we have volunteers that are going through Cabbagetown, Rosedale and Regent Park to inform people and ask them to sign the petition.”

Higgins reports that they have collected over 700 signatures online, and “a few hundred have signed the hard copy.”

The campaign targeted Smitherman’s riding, specifically hoping to sway opinion on his home turf. “People in that area are very interested in renewable and green power and sustainable energy,” Higgins asserts.

The non-profit organization is funded through “private donors and a few foundations, companies, and organizations,” Higgins concludes.

St. Lawrence resident and active volunteer Cam Miller is convinced that the campaign’s position is correct.

According to Miller, “It’s only that industry that is able to shuffle its failures over to the taxpayer. Nuclear, for some reason, has this sacrosanct capacity that the government always passes it on to the taxpayers.”

“Recent construction as well as refurbishment have all be deliriously over budget. It lays an enormous burden not only on current Ontarians but future generations,” Miller warns.

Smitherman himself is pleased to hear that his riding is taking an interest in his work.

“I had heard it might happen,” he says, referring to the targeted campaign. “But I know the people of Toronto Centre are well positioned to participate in such a debate and democratic discussion.”

“My hope is that [the campaign] will put information forward in an objective way. I just hope that it’s accurate. There are a lot of motivations and there are financial implications involved.”