Stephen Lecce
Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Electrification
Mediaplanet spoke with Minister Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Energy, to explore the province’s vision for nuclear energy expansion, how it supports economic stability, environmental responsibility, and Ontario’s leadership in global greenhouse gas reductions while enhancing energy security.
Given the sharp rise in domestic energy forecasts over the next 20-30 years, what are the most critical challenges Ontario faces in meeting this demand, and how can nuclear energy play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges?
Over the past six years, our government has worked to reduce costs for families and businesses, and we’ve seen companies and investments surge into our province as a result.
That has led to a surging demand for more clean, reliable, and affordable energy. Ontario has positioned itself with a plan to meet growing demand with a diverse energy mix that includes nuclear, hydro, natural gas, renewables, and bioenergy.
Zero-emission nuclear energy already provides more than 50 per cent of the electricity our province needs, and the world is watching Ontario as we double down and lead the largest expansion of nuclear power on the continent. Our province is proud to build the first SMR in the G7 at Darlington, with three more on the way. Which is being built at the same time as we are delivering nuclear refurbishment projects at Darlington and Bruce Power, all on time and on budget.
All of this is possible because of the ingenuity and bold ideas of Ontario’s 65,000 nuclear energy workers, who have made us the envy of the world.
Can you outline Ontario’s vision for domestic energy expansion, particularly in the context of nuclear energy? How do ongoing and planned nuclear projects align with this vision?
Ontario is proud to be the leader when it comes to nuclear power in Canada. Of Canada’s 19 operating CANDU reactors, 18 are in Ontario. Those units and their operators have an incredible track record of success, having provided reliable and clean energy that has powered our economy for the past 30 years.
And that track record has given our government the confidence to move ahead with the first expansion of nuclear energy in more than 30 years. The first new SMR at Darlington alone will deliver 300 MW of electricity, enough to power 300,000 homes. And its modular construction aims to help this design to be mass-produced and easily replicable, helping to further drive down production costs of clean energy, helping to cement our nuclear supply chain as a supplier of clean tech to the world.
But that’s not all – we’ve also started pre-development work to site a new large-scale nuclear build at Bruce Power. By initiating this pre-development work early we are ensuring that we have projects in the pipeline that can help meet future demand.
With the carbon tax posing a potential threat to economic growth and affordability, how does Ontario’s nuclear strategy offer a solution to maintain both economic stability and environmental responsibility?
The high cost of living across Canada, exacerbated by inflation and the increasing carbon tax, remains a critical issue for Ontario families. We continue to call on the federal government to provide relief for families to alleviate this burden, which needs to start with an end to the carbon tax.
In Ontario, our government has taken a different approach. We’ve taken the fight on the carbon tax all the way to the Supreme Court. We’re also working to keep costs down for families by cutting the gas tax and reducing fees by cutting tolls and licence plate renewal fees.
Ontario’s strategy to maintain economic stability and environmental responsibility also hinges on our clean energy advancements. Our province boasts one of the world’s cleanest electricity grids with about 90% of our electricity coming from non-emitting sources. This achievement is largely due to our commitment to nuclear energy, particularly using our Canadian-made CANDU reactors, which are among the safest and most reliable globally. Additionally, our investment in small modular reactors promises to boost economic growth and solidify Ontario’s position as a leader in reliable and clean energy.
How does Ontario envision its role as a leader in global greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, and what specific contributions can Ontario’s nuclear sector make to this international effort?
Today, Ontario has one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world. Ontario has already achieved greater GHG emissions reductions than any other province or territory in Canada, and we remain on track to achieve our GHG emissions target by 2030.
Nuclear played an important role in meeting this goal. It was because of our nuclear sector that we were able to eliminate coal-fired electricity generation in 2014 – which stands to this day as one of the single largest actions to reduce emissions in North America.
Many countries around the world are seeking to emulate Ontario’s success. They are watching our nuclear build-out closely, knowing our approach will support significant investments, electrification initiatives, and the building of new homes.
In what ways is Ontario leveraging its nuclear capacity to displace dirty coal and reduce reliance on energy imports from authoritarian regimes? How does this strategy strengthen both provincial and national energy security?
Ontario is ready to partner with countries around the world looking to advance their energy security with a democratic partner. Under the leadership of Premier Ford, Ontario is continuing to build out our plans to export more energy to reduce the dependence on coal in the United States and create opportunities for Ontario families and taxpayers.
In just a short time on the job, I’ve already had discussions with my counterparts from the United States to the United Kingdom, who are looking to Ontario as a way to stop relying on foreign regimes who use energy as a tool of war.
We are looking forward to continuing our work with like-minded partners to continue exporting our clean energy advantage around the world, while creating jobs here at home.
