Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio.
Welcome to Policy and Rights show. Gosh, Welcome to Policy that Human Joys.
Welcome back to Policy and Rights Here in Depictions Media Radio, I'm your host Michael Cloggs. As we saw last week that Eric Canada was canceling flights because of an impending lockout to lock out the flight attendants from being able to work because of a impasse that the union and the.
Corporation that is Eric Canada.
Had in a labor agreement. We have also recently found out that one of the things that the flight attendants union won it was more compensation for work done while the flight attendants were not in flight. Strangely that Eric Canada only pays his flight attendants while they're they are locked in the aircraft on its way to taking off. And when when it when they come back down to the ground again and and docks, shall we say, into the airport and the air lock has now reopened, they
stop being paid. Kind of an interesting way of doing things, because there's lots to do before and after that flight takes off in lands, a lot to do before take off, a lot to do after landing. Okay, so we've we've found that found that out there that they only pay for while the plane is in the sky. Basically, well, what about the rest of what what it is that the flight attendants do while they're on the ground. Should they not be paid for that? And they're paid on
an hourly wage. It's not like it's a salary position. It is an hourly wage. So I don't know about most of you. When I was an employee, there was very little that I was willing to just simply give away as an employee to my employer. Right for the part of the agreement is I work for you, you pay me a decent wage. It's the agreement. It is very much so a binding business agreement. So why is it that airic Canada doesn't pay the flight attendance for doing
work while they're on the ground. Good question. Never going to find an answer to that question, but it is why the unions were at it and the corporation were at had passed because the union says that they should get at least some compensation for it, and the closest that Air Canada was going to get to actually giving them compensation was fifty that they would pay them fifty percent of their wage if while they were on the ground.
So you get fifty percent of your wage while you're on the ground, and then you get full compensation while you're in the air for the hours that you're there. Again, I have a lot of us as employees would agree.
To something like that, right, So okay.
So that is the labor union's stance that they they want compensation, full compensation for all hours worked, and that is actually fair enough. So they were locked out by airic Canada. The lockout was lifted by Patty Hayju and Mark Carney ordering the both sides to a binding arbitration, and the answer to that from the flight attendant was
to walk off the job. So flight attendants for Air Canada are now on strike, leaving again a situation of passengers being stranded and Eric Canada happened to scramble to find a way to get these people home or get to their final destinations, because that is Air Canada's responsibility that they have to live up to. It isn't left for the government to try to figure out. It is left for Air Canada to figure out alternative ways, which are plenty of alternative ways to get people back and forth.
There are other planes, there are other airlines and trust me, Air Canada has enough money to provide the flights for people to get back and forth and get back to their final destinations. By offering them seats on other flights, they can't do it. So it isn't going to hurt Air Canada that much. It can be done, and that's part of what the whole thing is with the government.
So we're gonna hear in the next part. We're gonna hear from Paddi Haju and questions are going to be asked from Mark Karney and oddly enough also from Doug Ford about how this is going to actually play out. So moving forward, let's let's talk about other.
Things and.
Building a better.
Economy for Canada.
Uh.
Doug Ford and Mark Karney have had a meeting where they discussed many different things and ways to bring the premiers closer together so that trade agreements can can be made from one province to the next province with I have no worry about well compensation for each province for for what is for what is crossing and ensuring that trade agreements between and commerce between the provinces is strong so that well, we don't have to worry about the
wildcard that is sitting in the White House. Bottom line is is And Doug Ford is going to say this more eloquently than I am, that the clown that sits in the White House is a wildcard and we don't know what he's going to do next. He may not even know himself what he is going to do next. So rather than trying to depend be dependent on a variable, that Canada should find other trade partners.
To.
Explore other ways of getting products to other countries, and find other ways of trading amongst ourselves so that we have a strong economy. It's pretty simple that way, simple words. Actions and processes.
Are a little more difficult.
But if we follow the process and stay to the path, the economy will come around. At least that's kind of the idea. So we're gonna hear Doug Ford and Mark Karney talk about that and talk about towers and how to evade the towers going forward by trading with other
with other partners around the world, other countries. Okay, some also what needs to actually have happened, And I'm gonna say this quite bluntly that Canada has a bad habit of taking the resource off the land and then transferring it to another country for processing and then bringing it back rather than processing processes, seeing the raw material in Canada so that they can sell a pre finished product or partly finished product to the rest of the world
and causing more jobs back here at home in Canada. And that is something that no one is not really talking about. They're still sticking to this. Oh well, we'll pipe the raw beach them in from the tar Sans to someplace else and then have a process and sent back to us as a finished product so that we the consumers can buy it. The software lumber the same thing.
You can sit at a certain hotel and casino and you can watch the logs go down the river with the tugboats straight for a Washington processing center, and then when you go to home depot, you buy your own lumber back again at a premium that needs to be fixed. And that's just something that needs to be talked about.
So we have that.
We're also going to hear from Tim Hodgson's as he's talking about clean energy and I believe it in Ontario, So we're going to hear about that, what does clean energy actually mean and what do these partnerships with team corporations look like, so that we have a clean operating grid that doesn't hurt the environment.
So I don't move on and let's get to it, and we're going to hear about Air Canada.
Let's just to make sure that we have the most competitive market in the in the G seven by making sure that we reduce taxes, get rid of unnecessary regulatory burdens off the box of companies, and compete. You know, I we said, you know that we can never predict what Donald Trump is going to do, but we can predict we can create the environment and conditions for companies to come here and invest in direct foreign investment. The numbers came out a little while ago, mind you, it
was twenty twenty four. We had four hundred and nine companies, thirty nine point eight seventy five billion, and twenty five thousand jobs created in Ontario. But keep in mind that's before Donald Trump. So we have to beat him at his own game and make sure that we're more competitive and on shore as many products as possible.
So did you guys agree to any concrete action on that front today?
We had a great discussion. Nothing happens immediately in that room. But we're all we're on the same page. We have a great partnership and we're going to work jointly together to make sure that we're competitive and we create jobs.
Is it.
Do you think we're going to get a deal right now? Percentage wise? What would you put on the chances of Canada and the US getting.
At trip field?
Well, the main one is the USMCA Kuzma field. That's really the main one. But in the meantime, we have to hold firm and we have to create the environment, for instance, the steel sector, you know, the steel sector. We have to look at the large infrastructure projects, shipbuilding. We're all gom up and up in Ontario they do the flatbed steel and make sure that large scale infrastructure projects like a pipeline, steel pipes come from Ontario.
Premier did was your sons from the Prime Minister? Now that Canada just has to accept that we're going to have tariffs from the United States until we renegotiate USMCA, Like, is there any movement on getting those removed?
Well, I won't speak for the Prime minister. What I what I can tell you we're united on the message of let's start worrying about how we can be competitive here. Donald Trump is so unpredictable. I don't even know what he if he knows what he's doing tomorrow morning. So let's start focusing on creating that environment.
Is there an acceptance I guess from leaders that just ble does have the tariffs.
Again, he's the prime minister, will speak on that. But the President is predictably, he'll come out with some cocamani thing tomorrow that we don't even know about.
He's thinking at mark, Party's thinking two elbows down in responsible to not at all.
He's doing an incredible job. He's working collaboratively with twelve other premiers and myself and working as Team Canada. And he's uh, he's doing a very very good job in my opinion, put in his position dealing with Donald Trump. Let's stop worrying about Donald Trump. We'll start focusing on Ontario, in Canada and all the other provinces and territories.
Premier today is Pierre Polyev's by election.
If he gets elected, I'm wondering, what's what's your advice to him going into the false setting of the parliament.
Work with the prime ministers, Team Team Canada. You know, let's put our political stretches aside and start working together collectively on large infrastructure projects on other areas that he can cooperate with.
The government plans to meet with Paulia to push that message, to make sure that he is working with the Prime minister.
All I want to do is move forward collectively as a government. I don't care about political stripes. The person I'm working with right now is the Prime Minister of the day, and as far as I'm concerned, he's doing a really, really good job considering the position he's been put in. I challenge anyone try to deal with Donald Trump,
myself included. He's a different type of cat. But where United we know what we need to do, and we know that we need to cut the regulatory burdens off of companies, lower taxes, put money back into people's pockets, support companies that need investment to grow and expand here and onshore the procurement side.
It's absolutely co workers. Anything for your Canada workers.
What's your message, Well, everyone deserves a fair wage for a day's work. They order them back to work, and I think it has to being the best interest of the workers, the company and most importantly the people of Canada. So I'm glad they'll they'll be sitting down and talking. But let's keep the airlines moving.
Isn't it a complete disaster though, I mean, we bought the unions refusing their workers say they won't go back to work. We bought thousands of people stranded. They don't know how they're getting home, Like this is not.
Worked out right.
Up for the federal government to sit and make sure they sit down table. That always happens when we have labor issues. But they they'll work it out, and it's happened before, and they'll they'll get things moving.
I we get an update on how trade talks are going.
How are they going?
Good morning?
Look?
Uh, well, actually I'm just going to meet with Minister LeBlanc. We'll have a discussion of that and an important discussion with Premier Ford this morning on a variety of aspects for the Ontario economy, the Canadian economy, which of course includes trade, but goes much more to the issues that we can control and how we build out from.
Within, Like what would some examples be, Well.
We'll talk about the housing sector, We'll talk about steel, auto, new new sectors of the economy, including artificial intelligence, what we're doing in terms of making Canada competitive.
What's your advice to President Zelenski regarding should he accept any any feeling.
I gave that advice yesterday and meeting with President Zelenski and the coalition and what was it?
What was it?
Anything to say to Canada union workers.
Just say, I'll say the following.
We recognize very much the critical role that flight attendants play in keeping Canadians and their families safe as they travel, uh comfortable as they travel, and it's important that they're compensated equitably at all times, fairly at all times. That's the reason why there's been negotiations over the course of the last eight months. It is disappointing that those negotiations did not come to an agreement, and it was the judgment of both the union and the company that they
were at an impasse. That's not my judgment, it's their judgment. And so we were in a situation. We are in a situation where literally hundreds of thousands of Canadians and visitors to our country are being disrupted by this action. I urge both parties to resolve this as quickly as possible and the minister will have more to say.
Administer Hidi will have more to say.
It it's a pleasure to be with you here today on the traditional territory of the Algonquin and the Shanabic people. Months of negotiations and weeks of intensive mediation, Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees flight Attendants were unable to reach a tentative agreement. The government firmly believes that the best deals are reached by the parties at the bargaining table, and we will never stop believing that
La gum calameo collective to conclude pati negotiation nunissa. It's not easy, but when parties put in the hard work at the table, Canadians are better off as a result. Cinpa facion carla pattis met de la Canadian quillon quillo. However, in this instance, and despite resolution on a number of key items, this dispute will not be resolved quickly enough, and the impact of the work stoppage at Air Canada that began early this morning is already being felt by travelers.
This is causing significant harm and has negative impacts on Canadians and the Canadian economy. It impedes the movement of passengers and critical cargo such as pharmaceuticals and its trans thousands of Canadians abroad, making it extremely costly and sometimes impossible to book new flights. Canadians have already sacrificed a lot in this uncertain economy, and this labor disruption is
adding to their worries and financial burdens. As Minister of Labor, I have exercised my authorities under section one oh seven of the Canadian Labor Code to direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the parties to resume and continue their operations and duties in order to secure industrial peace
and protect the interests of Canadians and the economy. I've also asked the Board to assist the parties in reaching a settlement of the outstanding terms of their collective agreement by imposing final and binding arbitration and to extend the terms terms of the existing collective agreement until a new one is determined by the arbitrator. Flight attendants play a critical role in getting Canadians to where they need to go safely, and they deserve to be compensated and treated
fairly at all times. My job as Minister of labor isn't to take sides during labor disputes. It's to give the parties the tools that they need to reach a fair and timely agreement while keeping the best interests of Canadians at heart. And that's why I intervened today. Canada's economy has seen unprecedented attacks on trade and significant terror factions. Amid these challenges, Canadians have been stepping up for months to support their friends and their neighbors and their local communities.
In a year where Canadian businesses and families have faced too much disruption and uncertainty, they shouldn't have to shoulder another blow. We will not leave them behind. This is not a decision that I have taken lightly, but the potential for immediate negative of impact on Canadians and our economy is simply too great. Labor disruption impedes the movement of passengers and critical cargo. Canadians rely on air travel
every day and its importance cannot be understated. Many Canadians need to travel to care for loved ones abroad or deal with critical life events such as funerals or adoptions. The shipments of critical goods such as pharmaceuticals and organ tissue should continue to reach their destinations. And we believe that hard working Canadians who have been saving up for family vacations should be able to enjoy their well deserved and plan time off. Now is not the time to
take risks with our economy. A work stoppage would cause thousands of Canadians to be stranded abroad and across this country, and this is simply unacceptable. Last year, Canadians paid a high price when multiple key sectors went on strike. In Action at the bargaining table had a mass of impact on Canadian families and our entire economy. These parties have had months at the negotiation table, they've had support through the Federal Mediation Service, and they have been unable to
cross the finish line. Arbitration is the most stable way to conclude this process for Canadians while allowing parties to.
Reach a deal.
If we are going to build the strongest economy in the G seven, Canadians need to have confidence in the industries that serve them.
Thank you, okay, Well, go to questions now, one question. One follow up will start in the room. Jeremy Shad on.
CTV, Good morning, Minister, or good afternoon. The government has now stepped in.
And countless labor disputes. There are experts who point to this having an impact on an advantaging really employers in a negotiation. Is there a concern about undermining the labor system and are you confident that workers' rights are still being respected.
I think that it's very important to reiterate my first statement, which is that the best deals are arrived at at the table, not just because this is good for workers, but because it's good for stability and peace within the organization. Strikes are very disruptive to the culture of the organization. They're very expensive for the members who are often experiencing significant loss of pay, and they're very challenging for the corporations who are losing revenue and reputation every single day.
Having said that, in this particular instance, we do believe that it's very important that we establish industrial peace and that we focus on the growing cost to Canadians and Canadian families and Canadian small businesses. So this is a tool that allows for arbitration. There are many items that have been resolved between the two parties, and this will give them an opportunity to resolve the remaining items.
Thank you.
My follow up is on impacted passengers. Should Air Canada be liable to fully reimburse passengers who've had canceled flights or paying their full way for a replacement flight.
You know, listen, I don't want to speculate on the impact to Air Canada and what their corporate practices are. I know they're deeply concerned about the passengers that are stranded around the globe and here in Canada, and last night and speaking with the parties. In fact, that was one of the first items that the employer raised, was the work they're putting into trying to ensure that whoever is calling into their call centers has someoney on the
other end. It is important though, that we keep the safety, security and financial security of Canadians first and foremost, and it would be my expectation that we all work together to get people home.
Next question will be Kyle Dugan, Canadian Press.
I'm minister, thank you for taking our questions. Can you tell us what changed between yesterday and today that you weren't willing to step in yesterday but today you've come to the conclusion that clearly something needs to be done. So could you just give us a little bit of insight into your thought process and how you weigh the policy options ahead before you.
I think what changed between yesterday and today was that I asked the parties to meet with me collectively together. In the same meeting, I met with Air Canada and with the union represents representatives as well as the national President of QP. We talked through what was remaining in terms of the perspectives of the parties. The parties committed to staying at the table throughout the night, which they did.
There was an offer tabled by the employer and the talks broke down, and so it is clear that the parties are no laws longer, are not any closer to resolving some of the key issues that remain, and they will need help with an arbitrator.
Thank you, Lindas a follow up, I'm wondering how long will it take before things kind of start to return back to normal and some of these flights come back online. You have a sense of that, how long the liber work process.
The CIArb is an independent body and they will review and receive statements from the impacted parties and then they will make their determination about whether they will intervene and so that will take an according amount of time. Don't want to speculate because it is a process, but in general sometimes it can take twenty four to forty eight hours for the board to complete that work. Again, that's
a question for the board. However, Air Canadas said it could take between five to ten days for regular services to resume, and again I think that's a question for Air Canada in terms of their complex operations that one needs to happen for full resumption of services.
Marinea von Stackelberg CBC.
I'm minister. Unions are taking your government to court over your really unprecedented use of Section one of seven of the Labor Code, which gives you the unilateral power to essentially as you're doing today, order striking workers back to work. The unions say this is unconstitutional, that it violates the right to strike. Why does your government continue to use this section one of seven.
Well, actually, just recently, I think the CIRB affirmed that in one of the recent disputes the use of one of seven was constitutional. And of course I know there are a number of pieces of litigation, but listen, in today's decision, this is about industrial peace and the safety of Canadians. Of course, any deal is best if it's
arrived at between the parties. But you know, as we can see, and as we are as I believe that some of you are reporting on, there are a number of extremely difficult situations and increasingly dire situations that Canadians are facing, and we believe that the Industrial Relations Board will help these two parties conclude their negotiations on some key items.
Experts that I've spoken to about the use of one oh seven say that the government's repeated use of this is poisoning negotiations because companies believe that they can kind of bargain to an impasse and then the government will step in and prevent a strike from happening. Why did you choose to use one oh seven so quickly here? I think this is the fastest use of it I've seen. Is your government anti union?
I absolutely reject the notion that our government is anti union. In fact, under the previous Liberal government, we considerably strengthen the Canada Labor Code, We banned the use of replacement workers, and we stood side by side with unions in terms of supporting their work not only in labor negotiations but also in training and recruiting new members, and so this work will continue. We believe that unions are an essential
part of a healthy and growing economy. However, in a case like this, where multiple efforts have been made to conclude an agreement that satisfies both parties and it is clear that they are an impasse, it is very clear they need some help in arbitrating the final items.
We're not going to take questions from zoom. If you have a question on zoom, please raise your hands.
We play.
For signing question here. Our first question is from a Tumata Trattori from Regio, Canada.
No like okay, So could you like just in French because I'm from Radu, Canada, So how do you explain like the use of one O seven?
So could you explain it? But in French.
We le du pat I say pulled des mois drive uh entent key marsh part massasse impossible, a new devon a d L du parte avec util.
Miss okay.
Next we'll go to ian Woods. Ian Wood, please go ahead.
Okay.
I'm just wondering what provisions are being taken for Median passengers that are overseas and also for non Canadian nationals that may be traveling with their Canada that have now been left in place in various foreign countries.
Uh. Unfortunately, I don't think I can answer that question. But that is a question for Air Canada. I know Air Canada is working in a variety of different ways to support stranded travelers, but that is a question the employer can answer best.
Okay, So as far as you work cert global afairst Canada is and they've can reach out to by people, do have an imp information on any anything that the foreign service might be doing.
Well, this is a labor dispute. I mean, I think you're probably recalling a time I think that we all recall during the pandemic where all airline travel had shut down and there were no options for passengers. That's not the case. There are other options. They're very challenging options, of course, and sometimes there's going to be significant delays. But Air Canada, as I said, is working diligently to
try to support its passengers that are currently stranded. There is a very clear guidance from Air Canada to passengers that are outbound to make sure that they check before they arrive at the airport to determine the status of their flight. I would say that would be a probe, but we will get back to you about whether or not Global Affairs is hearing from Canadians that are reaching out.
Thank you very much.
We don't have any further questions on Zoom. Is there any further questions in the room, Kyle Dugan, Just.
In follow up to what you had said about speaking with the two parties, how do you know that they wouldn't have been able to reach a deal had you allowed this to continue.
The testimony from both party parties gave me confidence that they are so far apart on a number of issues that they are going to need some additional help to reach an agreement in those areas.
Could you just give an example or speak to something about the tone or if there's one particular issue that you could you could highlight. I'm just looking for some kind of concrete point.
I suppose, yeah, I guess you know. I'm not going to negotiate in public on behalf of the parties. It's very important that those conversations happened between the parties. The CIRB is exactly the right place to.
Help them finish.
There are a number of items that have been concluded or that have been satisfied. In fact, in a public letter that the union distributed a number of days ago, they indicated as much. But there are some significant differences and they have been As I said, the parties worked throughout last night. There was another offer tabled by the employer. It was clear it was unacceptable at that point. The parties are very far apart and so this additional help of an arbitrator will help them close that gap.
Thank you.
Are there any further questions in the room, Marina von Steckelberg CBC.
I know that there was a discussion about binding arbitration before beforehand, and then you spoke with both a union and Air Canada. I guess I'm curious what changed ed to have you want to act in this way. When you had gone to the union and said are you interested in this and the union came back and said no, we firmly want to go on strike.
I think what changed was the disappointing outcome of last night's talks. I mean, I met with the union and the employer last evening. I asked them to continue to meet throughout the night. The mediators were there assisting the parties, and this morning.
The information that I.
Received from the mediators is that the parties were still very far apart on a number of key issues, and it was clear that there was an impass. An impass means that there obviously is a need for additional assistance, and I believe the CIRB is the best place to help them.
And just for clarity, obviously, you can continue to negotiate while you're on strike or while you're locked.
Out, Absolutely right, and I think that's a great reminder, thank you. Parties could continue to negotiate and they could still have the opportunity to come up with an agreement that satisfies the members and the corporation.
So I'm just curious, are they negotiating today at this moment.
My last information was that they were not.
They were not.
My hope is that they will continue to seek a resolution that has jointly arrived at together, because, as I said in my opening remarks, the best agreement is the one that is found at the table, and not just for members or the corporation, but for the long term piece and stability of the organization and its relationship with
the employees. Listen, I have actually been an employer in a unionized environment previous to politics, and I can tell you that strike activity creates a very challenging, challenging environment to resume operations. And every employer needs good and stable relationships with this employees. So I do urge the parties to continue to talk, to continue to speak. There is that opportunity as we think it's never too late.
Good morning everyone, and the warm welcome to everyone joining us today. Bonjour me.
My name is.
Shata Clavering and I am the Executive Director of Climate Passive Energy at the University of Toronto. It's a pleasure to be your MC for today's important announcement. As we gather in Markham, we acknowledge the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples and their commitment to stewardship of the land. We acknowledge the communities in circle, the north, West, South and Eastern directions and Huron, Wendad an Ishnabek, Seneca, Chippawa and
the current treaty holders Mississauga's of the Credit Peoples. We share the responsibility with the caretakers of this land to ensure that dish is never empty and to restore relationships that are based on peace, friendship and trust. We are committed to reconciliation, partnership and enhanced understanding. On behalf of the University of Toronto and our partners here at Elektra, it's my plea. Okay, they are they are very light. Do you wanna do you want.
To work like something.
You want?
You're I'm okay, you're okay. You know it doesn't hit me?
Yeah?
Do you want to move the podium or do.
You want to keep it?
Okay, I'm good, Thank you everyone.
It didn't hit me.
It's just hit the mic. On behalf of the University of Toronto and our partners here at Electra, it's my pleasure to welcome you to today's announcement, a celebration of innovation, collaboration, and our shared commitment to a cleaner energy future. The electricity grid is the backbone of our daily lives, and transforming it is essential if we are going to meet our climate goals by creating a smarter, cleaner, and more
resilient grid that benefits us all. At the UFT, we are proud to contribute through research, teaching, and partnerships that help turn bold ideas into real world solutions, and we are equally proud to collaborate with governments, industry and communities on this important work. Thank you for joining us as we celebrate the people and ideas driving Canada's clean energy future. Sir d M vite La ribin Lenorabel Tim Hodgson, Ministro
de Lergie de Canada. Without further ado, I'm pleased to welcome the Honorable Tim Hodgson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, to the podium. Please join me at to welcome the minister.
Thank you for getting that, I'll sort it out before I got up here. And uh bojo to Lamot and thank you for that land acknowledgment. It's important that we do that at the start of every every event. It's a very exciting. I'm very excited to be here with you today in Markham, part of this country which I have the honor represent in the House of Commons. As you know, Canada is at a pivotal moment in our history. In a world where it seems the only thing certain
is uncertainty itself. The old ways of doing things are no longer serving us. To remain strong, sustainable and secure, we must turn and stand together as Canadians and focus on all we have to offer ourselves within our own borders, or to put in another way as the Prime Minister. As the Prime Minister often does, we can give ourselves more than anyone can take away. This is especially true
when it comes to energy. We have the resources to become an energy superpower, not just for exporting our products around the world, but for shoring up our energy security and affordability right here at home. Approximately eighty five percent of Canada's electricity comes from renewable and non emitting sources such as solar, hydroelectric power, nuclear wind power, and Ontario has been a leader in this transition as the former chair of one of the companies in the sector. I
want to share with you my experience. Our clean grid gives Canada a competitive advantage in attracting capital investments that grow the economy, create good, well paying jobs, support a healthy, safe and livable environment, and has enormous potential to save families money.
On their electricity bills.
If we invest in the ingenuity and ambition of Canadians, we can keep building the most affordable, cleanest and smartest electricity grid in the world, one that puts reasonable bills and technology at its center and attracts investment from around the world that begins in innovative, forward looking places like
markham Thornhill. That is why today I'm proud to announce more than thirteen million dollars in federal investment for five trail blazing projects right here in Ontario that will modernize and strengthen our electricity grid. Grid modernization is about more than transmission lines and substations. It's about building a system that works for people. Historically, electricity has followed flowed in one direction from large producers to the customers.
But our world is changing.
Canadians expect more from being connected to the grid. They expect that it should be easy to generate their own clean energy, store it for backup, and even supply it back to the grid to benefit themselves and help meet power demands for their communities.
This presents a technical.
Challenge, but also an opportunity to put the power in Canadians' hands and tailor our system to their needs. That is why we're investing six million dollars for Electric Utilities Centricity Project to give customers the tools to participate directly in Ontario's energy markets. Imagine a family with rooftop with rooftop solar panels, or a local business that generates some of its own power and stores.
It in an on site battery.
Thanks to this project, it will not only be easier to use that power themselves, but they'll also be able to supply it back to the grid and get paid.
For their contributions in rural remote communities.
We are investing over three million dollars in higher corporation, proving that clean energy isn't just for our biggest cities. By supporting Chigan to help industrial facilities transition from diesel to renewable energy. We are also investing over three point one million in Peak Power Incs work to deploy and demonstrate new technologies that will coordinate between sources of electricity on behalf of the consumer, drawing power from the grid when prices are lower, and from on site sources of
electricity when the grid prices are higher. This will make our grid more efficient, responsive and affordable to all its users. Finally, Innova Power is receiving seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars to leverage AI to forecast when power demand will be higher, making it possible for power providers to offer to pay community members to used home based sources of power during
these times. This can solve the need for expensive upgrades to the grid in order for it to provide more power while compensating customers for helping to reduce demand on
the grid, saving money and strengthening reliable reliability for everyone. Ultimately, it's strategic, targeted investments and creative ideas like these that marry technology with affordability and economy with environment that will enable us to build an energy system that is more innovative and sustainable than ever before the exact type of grid we need to realize our goal of becoming an energy superpower and the strongest economy in the G seven.
With that, thank you, Mercy, and I look forward to hearing the other speakers.
Thank you, Minister. That's fantastic announcement and great contributions from Natural Resources Canada to all these four projects. So congratulations to all the project's recipients. Please join me to welcome Rudy Kuzeto, Parliamentary Assistant to Ontario's Minister of Energy and Minds, to the Mike.
Rudy, thank you and good morning, and thank you doctor Shata for those kind introduction. Now I want to thank the Minister as well and for your support over these five clean energy projects, including here at Elektra. It is a real honor for me to join you this morning on behalf of Minister Stephen Leche, Ontario's Minister of Energy
and Minds. With our promis's electricity demand expanding to raise to seventy five percent by twenty fifty, I was proud to join Minister two months ago as we launched on Energy for Generations, Ontario's first ever integrated energy plan. This is a blueprint to ensure we have the affordable, reliable and clean energy that we need to power our homes and businesses, both today and for our children and our grandchildren.
It includes the largest energy procurement in Ontario's history and the first small module reactor in the G seven, both on time and on budget. But at the same time, we know that as our energy system grows, the role of energy users is growing with it, driven by new technology like solar panels, electric vehicles and batteries, smart thermostats and other devices that produce, store and manage power close
to where it's used. With over six thousand megawatts of this local capacity already installed across Ontario, transformation is well underway. Projects like this at Electra will monetize Ontario's grid to support an even smarter, even more flexible system that better includes these new technologies. It will help to empower families, businesses, communities and First Nations across the province and to not just use energy, but to generate, store, and manage it
as well. This will be a critical part of the solution not only for Ontario's growing energy needs, but also to help us reach our goal of a ninety nine percent emission free grid by twenty fifty that will help to build empower the strongest economy in the G seven. I was also proud to see that whatever is possible, Electra will be using businesses, suppliers, and vendors from Ontario
or other provinces. We need this team Canada approach to protect and strengthen our critical domestic supply chain as we continue to deal with Presidents Trump's unfair and illegal tariffs and the economic uncertainty that is created. So again, I want to thank Brian and his team at Elektra for this important commitment as we all work together to renew and modernize our grid across the Greater Golden Horseshoe and
across Ontario. Our children and their children will inherit an affordable, clean, reliable energy system because of the great work we're doing right here across Ontario and across Canada. And I want to congratulate all of you here today because without you, we would not be able to do what we are doing together. So thank you very much all of you here today.
Thanks thank you, Parliamentary Assistant Couseto, and to your point, today is just an example of so many of how Canadians can work together as we see both the federal and provincial government coming together for this big announcement, So thank you again. I'd like to introduce Keith Irish, Ward one counselor with the City of Markham. Please join me to welcome.
Keith Well, good morning and welcome to Markham.
It's my pleasure to represent Mayor Scarpity and my colleagues on Markham Council and to be with you today for this announcement, and of course to be with Minister Hodson, who, as he mentioned, also happens to be the local member of parliament and he and I have the honor of representing our areas of jurisdiction overlap and together we work very collaboratively and representing the needs of the residents that
were fortunate to represent. If you followed Tim on social media, you'll know what it feels like to have your headspin trying to keep track of where he is because he's traveling the country from one end to the other and to all points in between, in ways of seeking opportunities to get this country, as he mentioned, moving again in ways that we've not seen since C. D. Howe in the nineteen thirties, forties and fifties transformed the Canadian economy
from one that was agricultural based to an industrial based economy. I'm also pleased to recognize from the Government of Ontario Rudy gisicetto the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy and minds for as everyone else here too, all the stakeholders who have joined us today. Not to be remiss, but I also follow Rudy on social media and it's equally hard to keep up with the number of hands he shakes, ribbons he cuts, and babies he kisses, so's everywhere and anywhere.
So thank you, Rudy, and the.
Support of your government as well. This transformative project shows what's possible when government, industry and communities come together. They work together and share the goals of sustainability, innovation and resilience for our community. This is more than technological upgrades. It means a smarter, cleaner, more reliable energy future. It ensures that our residents and our businesses and institutions benefit
directly from innovation in the energy sector. So the goal is simple, a more flexible, resilient and customer focused grid that meets today's needs and prepares us for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. That Tim is so actively pursuing on our behalf.
So thank you very much.
Thank you, Counselor Irish. It's my pleasure to introduce you to our host today at Electra, Brian Bentz, President and CEO of Electra Utilities. Please join me to welcome Brian.
Thank you very much and good morning everyone.
I'd like to welcome everyone to Electra and our Markham Service Center as we launch an exciting milestone I think in the evolution of the electricity market in Ontario and Canada and maybe globally, a collaboration made possible through the
support of Natural Resources Canada. Before I begin, I would like to thank and acknowledge Minister Hodgson right from Markham, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Rudy casetto Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontarios Minister of Energy and Minds and Counselor Keith Irish for being here today. It is about support from government and all working with companies like ours and all of our partners that makes these adventures so exciting
and the potential for so much success. We are very fortunate to have Minister Hodgson as in the position that he's in now, he really understands the local electricity system in Ontario, having been chair of hydro One for several years, the importance of local distribution companies in the province and how they are connected to customers and the potential that distribution systems can have to the electricity grid in Ontario
and beyond. And similarly, Rudy, thanks to you and Minister Letche for your vision in terms of painting a picture for Ontario that is a clean grid where businesses will want to invest in Ontario.
We want to make that.
We want to empower consumers so that they can reduce their electricity bills and we can have a cleaner grid We've talked a lot about flipping the grid, and that's what we're trying to do with this project. For over one hundred years, electricity markets have been operated from the wholesale level, So we have system operators that buy generation from large generators upstream and they act on behalf of the consumers. They buy power on behalf of the consumers,
and that market has worked well. But now it's time to blend it and change it with downstream electricity markets. If we do have six thousand megawatts of grid edge capacity, let's open up that capacity to consumers so that they can lower their bills. They can work together to make that happen. The Centricity project is really about putting the building blocks in place so that we can schedule, dispatch, forecast, and settle all of that power at the edge of
the grid for the benefit of consumers. And I'm very excited about that. We are at an accelerated pace of change for electrification. Our growing economy and increased housing needs, along with evolving customer behaviors and preferences, are driving rapid growth on the grid. Meeting this demand will not only require us to double system capacity, it will also require an evolution of what we use as energy resources, how they are procured, how they are dispatched. This future cannot
be built on traditional infrastructure alone. We must embrace smarter, more flexible grid edge and more resilient solutions and that's where Centricity comes in. With this joint initiative, we're not just creating a roadmap, we're building the blueprint for Distribution system Operator model DSO model in Ontario. It's a vision that aligns directly with Energy's letter of Direction to the OEB and supports key provincial goals including expanding energy efficiency
and non wire solutions. Centricity is about modernizing how we plan, operate, and optimize our electricity grid. It enhances control room capabilities and enables new market mechanisms that benefit our customers. Centricity represents the start of a shift to full DSO operations. These capabilities are being embedded directly in our day to day utility work designed to be enduring, scalable, and impactful.
This work is only possible through strong collaboration, and we're proud to partner with the Minister Natural Resources Canada, the provincial government who has been instrumental in enabling Centricity. We're also working closely with the Ministry of Energy the on Terror Energy Board to ensure policy alignment and long term via ability. We're working with Oakville Hydro. We're collaborating to assess the value and the viability of DSO as a
service to other areas of a province. What makes Centricity especially exciting is its innovation in energy markets.
We're enabling the procurement of local.
Grid services directly from our customers, for example their evs, solar panels, and battery storage units to support our grid reduce the need for large generation and transmission projects. At the same time, will be compensating customers who choose to participate, reducing their energy costs. At its core, Centricity is about delivering value to our customers. It gives them more choice and more flexibility, It opens doors to new revenue opportunities,
and it helps reduce overall system costs. Communities will benefit from smarter, more resilient energy planning tailored to local needs and conditions, and we're committed to sharing what we've learned, and that includes working with our partners at the Ontario Energy Association. Vince Bresha, thank you for being here. Electricity Distributors Association, Teresa's Arcasian. Thank you for all your support
Electricity Canada and the Smart Grid Innovation Network. We're also incredibly proud to be partnering with the University of Toronto, Mississauga to drive cutting edge research and support the next generation of energy leaners. Finally, I want to express our deep gratitude to our many partners and everyone working alongside us to make this vision truly a reality. Together, we're not just preparing for the future, we're shaping it. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Brian. We are very excited at this project and we cannot wait to see the outcomes and the per dime shift in the electricity markets that it will result in. Thank you. Next up, I'm pleased to introduce grand Tebossige, business and Economic Development manager with the Shiging First Nations Higher Corporation. Please join me and welcome grant.
Me, grich Annie, Hello, Bojo, Honorable Tim Hodgson, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Friends, guests and provincial representatives. My name is grand Teboski. I'm the Economic Development manager for the Chiguing First Nation and I work with our higher corp. Economic Development with me today is Laura Souther's a member of our Economic Development Corporation and treasurer. I speak for Cheguing First Nation on NNOM missing Manitoulin Island.
We are builders.
We put up a wind farm, many rooftop solar community grocery store, electric vehicle charging stations, and new spaces for our people to work and learn. That's who we are. We learn, we hire local, and we get it done. We're proud to be the first Indigenous community in Ontario and possibly Canada to build and own and operate a four megawalk wind farm in our community of Chiging with our own resources and our own trades. We're grateful to our federal and provincial partners for walking with us, but
we face too hard truths. Diesel still powers much of industry work, and the air we breed pays the price. Much of our Manitoulin Island can't get the power needs because the grid only serves where the forty four kV lines run. So we chose to lead. Four years ago, we asked how do we move in a major industrial customer off an aging five megawak diesel plant With our development and technology team and support from Nerkan's Energy Innovation program.
We're building a new way, a system that blends new technology, renewables, storage, and new loads with the existing grid, a system that helps connect the past with the present and to unlock our future. Our goal in two years is to cut diesel use by seventy five percent for a major industrial user of diesel power on Manitoulin Island. Next, add wind, solar and batteries to reach near zero diesel keeping up keeping a backup only for emergencies. We'll upgrade lines at
a substation and use island hands wherever we can. This is made in Canada innovation. If it works here for US, it can work in many other communities where wheat rids keep industry tied to fossil fuels. We invite Ontario's planners to sit with us and plan for a cleaner, stronger grid for Manitoulin communities and are off island neighbors. We are ready to be partners in closing. Let me be clear.
Without Enercan, this project would not be happening. Your smart grid funding and trust is turning our community's vision into work on the ground today. Is possible because Enercan believed in US and backed us. If not for anacan's support, we would still be talking instead of building. Minister to you and your team. To Migwitch from Chigin First Nation for walking beside Chigin First Nation, Migwitch, thank.
You grant and great participation of the First Nations community. Please join me to welcome Peak Powers Vice President of Legal Affairs Shrada Mishra, Oh you're.
Here, Good morning and thank you to National Resources Canada, to honorable Minister Hodgson and our partners here today. It's a pleasure to be here in Markham to celebrate this important announcement for Canada's clean energy future. I'm Shrada Mishra, VP of Legal at Peak Power, and I would start by saying that where traditionally energy solutions have been have involved demand response, we're trying to find more innovative approaches
to approach this solution. At Peak Power, we support large energy users to manage their energy in smarter, more flexible ways. Today we're thrilled to share that the support from NARCAN will help us advance our Distributed Energy Resources Management platform DARA across three demonstration sites in Ontario by integrating battery storage, EV charging and solar under a single software platform. Deara helps these customers lower costs while actively participating in a
modern electricity grid. As load growth continues to outpace supply and with large scale generation solutions still years away, for flexible distributed energy resources have never been greater. Projects like ours will show how distributed energy solutions are the best tool to meet the challenges of today's changing energy landscape, helping businesses save money while also supporting the broader electricity grid.
This project is designed to deliver tangible benefits for Canadians Environmental, lowering emissions and increasing renewable integration, Economic reducing electricity costs and creating more flexible energy management options for customers. And finally, innovation, advancing Canadian clean technology leadership and exploring alternative approaches to meeting grid needs. This project is more than technology. It's about showing how flexible distributed energy solutions can create a cleaner,
more resilient electricity system for all Canadians. We're grateful for the support from Natural Resources Canada and our partners, and we look forward to sharing the results of this important initiative over the coming years.
Thank you, and last but not least, I'd like to invite Greg Cameron President and CEO of Inova to provide some remarks.
Good morning, and thank you everyone for Cominganta this morning. For a moment, I thought I was sitting back in Jamaica this beautiful, intense sunshine. So thank you Minister for inviting us to this announcement and to our host Brian and the team at a lecturer. It's a pleasure to be here among leaders from across the energy sector, government
and media. An overpower or purpose is clear to energize and empower or communities we serve and to drive what's next in energy and sus inability for our communities and beyond, including Kitchener Waterloo wool which will Mut and Willesley. As Ontario's seven largest distribution company, we serve over one hundred and sixty five thousand customers and manage more than six
hundred million dollars in assets. Our commitment is to deliver safe, reliable and affordable electricity while preparing our grid for the future. Over the years, we have made significant investments in expanding and modernizing our distribution system. Through advanced automation and infrastructure upgrades. We have enhanced reliability, reduce outage impacts, and improved operational efficiency. But we know that traditional infrastructural loan won't meet the
energy demands of tomorrow. With electricity demand projected to increase by up to seventy five percent or even double by twenty fifty, we must evolve. That's why an ov is transitioning from a passive distributor to an active distribution system operator, a shift that positions us to better manage distributed energy resources and support a more dynamic, resilient grid.
This and ACNT funded.
Project that we'll be embarking on bis on our history of innovation and represents a strategic step toward a smarter, more flexible grid. We're excited to be partnering with grid s to, an Ontario clean based startup technology company, and collaborating with Natural Resources Canada to deploy AI based planning and optimization tools and grids to transactive energy platform. These technologies will help us unlock the full potential of distributed
energy resources and enable local energy procurement. This is about building the electricity system of the future, one that maximizes clean energy use, misgrowing demand responsibly, and empowers our customers. Importantly, this project emphasizes community engagement and customer participation. Ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds can actively contribute to and benefit from the energy transition. It's a model for sustainable, equitable
and resilient energy future. We believe the outcomes will be scalable as Brand mentioned for his project, and replicable across the regions. We will work closely with other LDCs and partners like GRIZ Smart City to ensure collaboration and avoid duplication while accelerating market transformation across Ontario and beyond.
The show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact us at Depictions dot media for more information.