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Strategic Alliance
Work together as advocates for working
people and for the environment in key
areas of global trade, the use of toxic
substances in commercial activity, the
creation of ‘green manufacturing’ jobs, and
the development and implementation of
strategies to address climate change and
protect sustainable resources.
Climate Change
‘Accelerating arctic warming and other early
climate impacts have led scientists to
conclude that we are already above the
safe zone at our current 390ppm, and that
unless we are able to rapidly return to 350
ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping
points and irreversible impacts such as the
melting of the Greenland ice sheet ...’
(source: www.350.org)
Call to Action
“When the leaders of the G-20 nations arrive
in Pittsburgh, I want them to know I am
fomenting revolution -- Industrial
revolution. Specifically, a 21st-century
burgeoning of green manufacturing in the
United States. Americans going green -manufacturing windmills and solar cells -would benefit the whole world's economy
and environment.” (Leo Gerard, September, 2009)
Blue Green Canada
• Recognize that a future sustainable
economy must provide good jobs and
protect the environment, not one or the
other
• The alternative – an unregulated global
economy that increases the gap between
rich and poor and ignores ecological limits
– will ultimately destroy all good jobs and
the environment
Elements of Strategy
1. Promote legislation to mandate renewable
energy, conservation, waste diversion, and
toxic use reduction,
2. Advocate for strong local content requirements
3. Engage with labour, environment, and social
justice activists, and others, at community level
4. Promote local manufacturing opportunities
5. Deliver training opportunities
Ontario Green Energy Act
- Meet the commitment to close Ontario’s
coal-fired plants by 2014
- Feed-in Tariff program
- Domestic content rules for solar and wind
projects
- Support for aboriginal projects, community
energy projects, municipal projects
- 20 new transmission projects
In the news …
U.S. prof sees green-jobs boom here
• Economist who helped inspire Obama strategy
says Ontario policy may create 90,000 wellpaid positions
(May 9, 2009)
5/29/09
BGC 20
9
Samsung Deal
• Korean Consortium to develop 2500 MW, 2000
MW of wind and 500MW of solar
• FIT contract over 20 years gives them 13.5
cents/kWh for wind and 44.3 cents/kWh for solar
• Projected to create 16,000 jobs over 6 years
• 4 manufacturing plants, wind towers, blades,
solar inverters and solar module assembly
• Eligible for Economic Development Adder of
$437 million
Toronto
- New Sustainable Energy Strategy makes local
procurement and manufacturing a priority
- Kodak lands will be developed based on
‘maximizing green sustainable economic
development, local procurement and community
employment in the development, operation and
maintenance of the site’
Hamilton & Sudbury
“Will the Green Economy Transform Hamilton” event on
January 26th
Involves partnerships with Hamilton District Labour Council
& Environment Hamilton, Sudbury & District Labour
Council
Increasing partnerships, building relationships with city hall,
community networking & outreach
Aim to create policy levers/incentives that will support
growth in green investment, local manufacturing and
good green jobs
Training
- Connecting laid off or underemployed
workers with opportunities to retrain for
work in the green energy and conservation
sectors
- Promoting opportunities in the green
economy to youth
- Explore different models of organizing
work, such as worker co-ops
Other Activities
- Building an Ontario Supply Chain Map
- Working with Ecology Action Centre,
Pembina Institute, and other partners,
develop a Green Energy Act in Nova
Scotia
- Cap and Trade Design Principles
www.bluegreencanada.ca
With the generous support of: