January 23rd 2009

Ban on New Carbon-Gas Power Plants in Dense Residential Areas

WHEREAS the health effects caused by air pollutants range from subtle biochemical and physiological changes to difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions, and according to Health Canada “can result in increased medication use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospital admissions and even premature death” and has been linked to 400 deaths per year in Peel Region alone;

WHEREAS the Clarkson Air Shed Study, conducted from 2003-2005, found that measurements taken during the ambient air monitoring program at four of the six stations, exceeded the PM2.5 project benchmark concentration of 30 ?g/m3 both for 2004, and for the whole study period (2003-2005), and that this benchmark concentration was based on the proposed Canada Wide Standard (CWS) for PM2.5 of 30 ug/m3;

WHEREAS the Clarkson Air Shed Study concluded that the area is “stressed”, especially due to high volume traffic from the nearby Queen Elizabeth Way, with up to 25% of airborne pollutants currently caused by local industry;

WHEREAS the Clarkson Air Shed Advisory Committee (CASAC) has previously resolved that its co-chairs write to the Premier of Ontario, copies to the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Energy and the Mayor of Mississauga, asking him to respond to the findings of the Ministry of Environment’s Clarkson Airshed Study that the Clarkson airshed is stressed and to the call of Mayor McCallion to ban the location of any gas-fired generating stations in the Clarkson airshed;

WHEREAS the Mississauga Ratepayer Association Network (MIRANET) has previously resolved that the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Energy respond to the findings of the Ministry of Environment’s Clarkson Airshed Study that the Clarkson airshed is stressed;

WHEREAS it is contradictory to pursue a strategy of reducing airborne pollutants while simultaneously adding new sources of such pollutants;

WHEREAS other strategies exist for the purpose of meeting Ontario’s future energy demand, besides building dozens of new carbon-gas producing production facilities, such as: aggressively pursuing renewable sources (such as wind, geothermal, and solar); encouraging efficiency upgrades to homes, buildings, and transmission lines; or promoting new technologies such as household “battery packs” which retain electricity during non-peak periods to be used during peak demand periods;

THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Ontario New Democratic Party will support a comprehensive ban on any new carbon-gas power plant projects located within or downwind from any dense residential area, defined as more than fifty (50) persons per square kilometer, or any residential area with pre-existing air pollution problems, in order to protect human health and quality of life for the people of Ontario and future generations.