LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Think big, think proud

Now that we have our elbows up, we can look below and discover the potential; discover the need. Why has Canada relied on other countries for a vast array of services and production? Let’s come up with Manitoban or Canadian solutions. Think big! Let’s go all in!

So, to hear that our minister of environment and climate change has made 5,000 heat pumps more readily available, just doesn’t cut it. Actually, the crown corporation, Efficiency Manitoba, already has an incentive program for heat pumps. How about 50,000 or 500,000? Also, that would benefit immensely our net-zero target.

What about announcements in regard to Manitoba Hydro’s future plans? Remember, Manitoba Hydro controls electricity and natural gas (which is 80 percent methane). Again, they just don’t cut it. There is no mention of any significant energy-producing projects, such as large windfarms in the works, or building solar farms in the making. Why not make it our goal to have solar panels on every home? Did you know that in the Netherlands one in three homes has solar panels? Why hasn’t Manitoba Hydro been more involved in geothermal projects?

What we hope or should expect to hear from minister Adrien Sala, are, in my view, twofold: 1) plan for net-zero target and 2) aggressively pursue renewables so that the electrification of homes and buildings can take place soon, and greenhouse gas use and emissions can be eliminated.

So, what do we hear in reports such as Manitoba Hydro’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and Manitoba Affordability Energy Plan. There is no mention of an aggressive move away from natural gas. This is very much not in keeping with the U.N. Intergovernmental Plan for Climate Change (IPCC), which recommends a “rapid, deep and immediate greenhouse gas emissions reduction” and “initiating programs to electrify health care facilities”. What we hear from Manitoba Hydro is that they project no change in natural gas use by 2030. Manitoba Hydro states that to get to net-zero, the use of direct air capture (DAC), which is another way of saying carbon capture, is what they will rely on. Let’s be very clear, carbon capture and DAC are largely unproven despite a lengthy trial period time.

It is also disappointing to hear nothing from the minister of environment and climate change about retrofitting current buildings and homes, meaning to replace natural gas systems with heat pumps, electric furnaces and electric boilers.

Relying on renewables, to be the main source of power, is working very well in parts of the world and Canada. Spain now has most of its energy supply from renewables. They have massive solar farms. Texas has about one third of its energy needs met by renewables. They have a 15 sq. km solar farm as part of that supply. A recent article about Nova Scotia states they propose to build enough offshore wind turbines to produce 40 gigawatts of electricity. This is an ambitious plan, and time will tell if it comes to fruition, but the Nova Scotia premier states the excess electricity could supply 27 percent of Canada’s total demands. In a recent article in the Brandon Sun, it is pointed out that the city of Summerside, P.E.I., owns a wind plant — four large wind turbines— and a solar farm, which provides 62 percent of its power needs.

I guess my point is we know that renewable energy projects are being built at national, provincial, state and municipal levels, so really, what’s the hold-up? Think of the cost savings associated with the mitigating of climate change. Specifically, the elimination of methane. In a five day period in June 2025 in Ontario, the wildfire smoke related health care costs alone were estimated at $1.28 billion.

Let’s think big and think proud. We can do it.