Ontario to spend as much as $500M to assist metal trade swap to scrub energy

Ontario taxpayers might be on the hook for as much as $500 million to wean the metal trade off coal and onto electrical energy to scale back greenhouse gasoline emissions.

In a campaign-style announcement in Hamilton — 15 weeks earlier than the June 2 election — Premier Doug Ford promised that a lot in grants and loans to switch coal-fed coke ovens and blast furnaces.

“By investing in revolutionary applied sciences, we’re strengthening our economic system and defending good native jobs for Ontario staff,” the premier stated Tuesday.

Ford stated the adjustments would scale back carbon dioxide emissions by about three million tonnes yearly, which is the equal of taking nearly a million gasoline-powered vehicles off the street.

The general public cash will go towards a $1.8 billion challenge by ArcelorMittal Dofasco to change to a brand new type of furnace that may faucet into the electrical energy grid as a substitute of utilizing coal.

Negotiations are ongoing for the same provincial funding in Algoma Metal in Sault Ste. Marie, Ford famous.

Final summer season, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced a $420 million federal infusion for Algoma to transition to cleaner metal manufacturing.

Dofasco’s current steel-making operation is a large polluter and is liable for large quantities of greenhouse gasoline emissions that contribute to local weather change.

“Coal is not going to be utilized in our future processes at Dofasco,” stated the corporate’s president and CEO Ron Bedard.

“This funding places us on a path to low-carbon, sustainable metal and is feasible solely by partnership with authorities,” stated Bedard.

Financial Growth Minister Vic Fedeli stated the money infusion is important because the province steps up manufacturing of electrical automobiles.

Fedeli famous cleaner vehicles and vehicles must be manufactured utilizing “revolutionary inexperienced metal” as a substitute of with merchandise powered by coal.

“This thrilling funding … will give automakers and different industries but one more reason to purchase Ontario and rent Ontario staff after they look to remodel their provide chain,” the minister stated.

However Inexperienced Chief Mike Schreiner stated the Progressive Conservative authorities’s pledge is “undermined” by its actions on new freeway development initiatives.

“Freeway 413 alone will unleash 17.4 million tonnes of local weather air pollution by 2050 — that’s greater than the complete metropolis of Toronto emitted in 2018,” stated Schreiner, referring to the proposed 60 kilometre freeway linking Milton to Vaughan, which might raze 2,000 acres of farmland, pave over 400 acres of Greenbelt land and minimize by 85 waterways.

“Whereas I’m glad the federal government is lastly listening, Doug Ford’s cussed refusal to make (electrical automobiles) extra inexpensive will restrict widespread adoption and make life much less inexpensive for folks,” he stated.

“Driving electrical must be an choice accessible to all Ontarians.”

Robert Benzie is the Star’s Queen’s Park bureau chief and a reporter protecting Ontario politics. Observe him on Twitter: @robertbenzie