The Ontario Co-operative Association (On Co-op) is in the midst of hosting regional conferences across the province to foster connections between the hundreds of co-operative corporations operating here. TREC Renewable Energy Co-op and the Federation of Community Power Co-ops presented about renewable energy co-ops in St. Catharines and Toronto, and we will also be at the London conference on March 25.

FCPC President Judith Lipp presenting at the Niagara On Co-op Conference

Source: Niagara Co-op Network Facebook

Energy is under provincial jurisdiction in Canada, and in Ontario, we have the Green Energy & Economy Act, 2009. This important piece of legislation brought us not only the Feed-in-Tariff program that allows individuals, communities, First Nations, municipalities and others to sell power back to the grid, it also amended the Co-operative Corporations Act, 1990, to include a specific provision for the creation of renewable energy co-operatives.

Co-operative renewable energy may be relatively new to Ontario, but it is well-established and thriving in places like Germany and Denmark, where co-ops own a large stake of the energy system. RE co-ops provide ethical investment opportunities for local individuals; provide local jobs for manufacturers, installers, and more; help to produce clean power locally while contributing to a more reliable distributed energy system; and allow for reinvestment from the sale of power to the grid.

TREC Services Manager James Law presenting at the GTA Regional On Co-op Conference

Because of these benefits, co-op involvement in RE development in Ontario has exploded since 2009, making the province a model for community-owned power across the country. But, like any business, RE co-ops are looking to the future, hoping to grow their members and continue transforming the energy system through the co-operative principles of people (encouraging social justice), planet (respectful of the environment), profit (strong economic foundation).

We don’t have to do it alone. By sharing the experience of the RE co-op sector at the On Co-op conferences, we have been able to connect with credit unions, housing co-ops, and innovators looking to collaborate for the benefit of everyone involved. It can be easy and comfortable to stay in our respective silos, but we should all welcome the opportunity to expand our reach by working with like-minded businesses in the co-op sector.

You can still register for On Co-ops Sudbury and London conferences here:

http://www.ontario.coop/programs_services/coop_development/conferences_round_tables_local_clusters

The presentations by TREC/FCPC at these events are made possible in part through the financial support of the Education and Capacity Building Program brought to you by the IESO. The Co-op is solely responsible for implementation of this initiative, and the IESO has no responsibility or liability whatsoever in the event that any person suffers any losses or damages of any kind as a result of the initiative.