A way Hydro can help revitalize communities

 

The excitement inside City Hall’s Committee Room 4 was palpable while I was waiting to speak at the press conference where the Green Jobs for All at Hydro campaign was launched. On June 7, community and union activists came together under the banner of the Good Jobs for All Coalition to announce an innovative green community economic development strategy. If implemented by Toronto Hydro, this strategy is sure to revolutionize the way the City works directly with the people to address pressing economic concerns that incorporate environmental and social justice needs.

 

When I walked in the room, I was impressed with the huge solar panel resting against the wall and the number of banners from participating agencies. The five Green Change Agents from Jane and Finch who came with me added their own displays and signs. The campaign launch was attended by a diversity of community groups, unions, elected officials, and environmental organizations. Groups in attendance included the Toronto & York Region Labour Council, the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians, the Chinese Canadian National Council - Toronto, the Jane/Finch Green Jobs Coalition, the Green Change Collaborative, the Society of Energy Professionals, and the Canadian Tamil Congress, Environmental Defence, Toronto Environmental Alliance, and more.

 

Through this campaign, the Good Jobs for All Coalition is calling on Toronto Hydro to take advantage of the subsidies available in the Green Energy Act and plan for an aggressive expansion of Toronto Hydro’s role in renewable energy generation in partnership with other public institutions. The strategy calls for Toronto Hydro to install solar panels on schools, hospitals and other public buildings across the City. Under the Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act 2009, renewable energy companies, utilities and homeowners can receive provincial subsidies – through the feed-in tariff program – provided they meet domestic content rules, which require 40 to 60% of the goods and services used originate from Ontario.

 

As I explained in my speech, not only will this strategy generate profits for the public utility company, but by engaging community organizations and unions as partners at the table, it will also generate dividends for the local communities by engaging residents and youth in the revitalization and economic development of their own community. This strategy has the potential to see thousands of youth trained and new job opportunities for residents and other equity seeking groups created.

 

The Good Jobs for All Coalition is also asking Toronto Hydro to make local procurement of green products a priority in all activities. With its strong buying power, Toronto Hydro would then be able to attract green manufacturers to Toronto. Furthermore, existing manufacturers would be encouraged to retool and work with local training organizations and Toronto’s Social Development Office to ensure equitable access and inclusion of workers of colour and youth from marginalized communities in new job opportunities in the sector.

 

“Creating good green jobs is the lynchpin that will turn our community around,” says Nigel Barriffe. Currently a teacher with the Toronto District School Board in Rexdale, Nigel is Co-Chair of the Green Economy Committee of the Good Jobs for All Coalition. This strategy could be a game changer for priority neighbourhoods like Rexdale and Jane and Finch that continue to struggle with issues of poverty and underemployment. On the other side of the coin is the emerging trend and related opportunities in the green economy.

 

One young man, Chris Williamson, a pre-apprentice electrician, who recently graduated from the Hammer Heads program also shared his story. Chris - who is 18 - spoke about how his placement as a pre-apprentice electrician gave him the opportunity to start saving up money so he can hopefully sponsor his mother – who currently lives in Jamaica – to Canada.  Chris said he supports the campaign because he can see how it will create stable careers for his community and friends, who, unlike him, still work part time and casual minimum wage jobs at restaurants, movie theatres and the like.

 

Other speakers at the press conference included: John Camilleri, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1, which represents Toronto Hydro workers; and Carolyn Egan, president of the Steelworker Toronto Area Council.

 

The Green Jobs for All at Hydro campaign can be formally endorsed at www.goodjobsforall.ca.

About Rosemarie Powell

Comments

[peter CLARKE]

In Spain every green job created with government money came at a cost of 2.2 regular jobs over the last 8 years and with only one of these jobs became a permanent job.

The study was authored by Dr. Gabriel Calzada and economics professor at Madrid’s Juan Carlos University.
Toronto hydro and incumbent councillor’s best understand Spain’s experience as Toronto should expect a minimum loss of 2.2 jobs or 9 jobs lost for every 4 green jobs created.

Let’s NOT follow Europe’s failures with green jobs here in Toronto which already has a chronic spending habit and serious fiscally problems created by incumbent councillors over the past 25 years with their left leaning ideologies.

http://peterclarketoronto.com

[Disinterested Observer]

Great idea. Bidders who say they will support it should get preferential treatment when they buy the company.

[RockyRacoon]

The purpose of technology is to free up human beings to develop other skills. What I am getting from the comment by PeterClarke is that a capitalist free market economic system is not compatible with a technologically advanced society. Time to get rid of this old crisis ridden political economy then.
RR