MANUFACTURERS WELCOME THE REMOVAL OF RED TAPE TO IMPLEMENT CARBON CAPTURE, UTILISATION AND STORAGE (CCUS) IN ONTARIO

Toronto, November 23, 2022 – Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) President & CEO Dennis Darby responded affirmatively to the Ontario government’s announcement today to eliminate legal impediments to implement Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) in Ontario, as part of the Less Red Tape, Stronger Ontario Act.

“Removing the legislative prohibition of CCUS is a welcome first step to enable the practice in Ontario. As evidenced in CME’s Low Carbon Transition Survey published earlier this year, manufacturers rank investment in this technology as a top policy priority to achieve net zero emissions by 2050,” said Darby.

In addition, the Act exempts customer-funded electricity transmission projects from the Ontario Energy Board leave-to-construct process. This change, which is effective immediately, aims to reduce duplication in approvals, saving time and money for manufacturers seeking to connect to Ontario’s electricity grid.

“Following a very productive CME member roundtable with the Honourable Parm Gill yesterday, we are pleased that the province continues to listen to our concerns, and puts measures in place that increase regulatory certainty. To achieve a cost-effective energy transition and help manufacturers grow, we look forward to our continued collaboration with the province,” concluded Darby.