Allied organizations are meeting with members of Parliament to show their adamant support for Canada’s east-west electricity grid with renewable energy.
The group is varied, including Indigenous clean-energy leaders, climate activists, electrical workers, faith groups, labour unions and others. They’re joining together to prioritize renewable electricity across the country, while holding up Indigenous and workers’ rights. They agree that the government’s recent announcements on major projects missed opportunities.
A press release came out this week stating that:
- An east-west electricity grid, powered by renewables, needs federal and provincial funding.
- The grid will have health, employment and economic benefits across Canada.
- Renewables and electrification will mitigate climate change and health-related issues, saving billions in healthcare costs.
- All projects must uphold the legal and inherent rights of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people in Canada.
77% of those surveyed support upgrading Canada’s grid by connecting the provinces and territories with new transmission lines.
“We are united in our call for the federal government to prioritize funding an east-west electricity grid with renewable energy that upholds workers’ and Indigenous rights. The effects of an east-west grid will be felt widely across the country, creating thousands of jobs, improving energy security and saving people money on energy bills.
Building pipelines is a waste of time and money that only benefits fossil fuel billionaires in the long run. This moment in Canada calls for real solutions to the overlapping crises we face. We need jobs that are here to stay, affordable energy, and to make sure our kids have healthy air to breathe. This will only be possible through building Canada’s east-west grid with renewables.”
Stephen Thomas – Clean Energy Manager, David Suzuki Foundation
You can read the entire press release on the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment website: https://cape.ca/press_release/federal-government-must-build-canadas-renewable-east-west-electricity-grid/