OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government - 4

3. Provide further relief to Ontario's businesses and families by making surplus electricity available
at current market rates.
Ontario must leverage its existing assets, which include its low-emission electricity system. This system has already been transformed
into a low emission system, which produces significant amounts of emission-free electricity that is in surplus to domestic needs.
Ontario currently exports most of this surplus to other Canadian provinces and the United States at low wholesale market energy prices
and discards the amounts it cannot export. Unfortunately, Ontario consumers cannot access this low-cost surplus electricity, as Ontario's
retail price plans do not allow surplus electricity to be made available at its low wholesale market energy price.
The government's recent announcements of suspending time-of-use rates for 45 days and deferring a portion of Global Adjustment (GA)
charges for some industrial and commercial electricity consumers are only beneficial to some energy users.
The Government of Ontario should take this opportunity to implement permanent electricity price reform that will allow consumers to
purchase surplus electricity now and in the future. This will alleviate the economic burden posed by COVID-19 by reducing energy bills for
consumers and businesses, as well as decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This reform is required to achieve real economic
relief both in the short and long term. Additionally, low-cost, carbon free electricity can support increased adoption of electric vehicles
(EV), supporting job creation in the selling of EVs and its required infrastructure in both public and private locations.

4. Work with the Federal Government to upgrade and modernize the digital infrastructure that will ensure
businesses and workers succeed.
COVID-19 has shown all of us that technology and high capacity infrastructure is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for both businesses
and consumers to engage in today's economy. Unfortunately, access to high-speed internet is inconsistent or not available to some
Ontarians. This has made working remotely challenging to certain businesses and individuals, having an impact on economic productivity.
In an environment geared towards e-commerce and online learning solutions, the government should prioritize access to broadband
internet to all Ontarians, keeping in mind the need to properly connect remote and rural communities. Once construction sites open,
investment in digital infrastructure will also ensure that certain simple practices and permit issuing is kept online, in order to help maintain
physical distancing protocols.
As digital becomes embedded into business models and operations, it is imperative that all of Ontario's engineering companies have the
capacity to operate in the new ecosystem. There is a clear chasm that exists between organizations and companies in their digital
capacity. Funding digitization will enable the government to close some of the gaps that exist and keep business operating and
safeguard engineering jobs in the province.

OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government