Air quality in Canada’s Ontario province has improved dramatically in recent years, simultaneously with the ramping up of nuclear power and the phase-out of coal, the WNN has reported. Ontario is home to a large portion of Canadian industry, the cities of Ottawa and Toronto and some 40% of the country’s population of 33.4 million. Data from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment shows a dramatic reduction in the air pollution that in 2005 was affecting these people for at least ten days during the year. The worst-affected places in 2005 had been 14 of 37 Ontario locations with more than 40 smog-warning days. Every location had at least ten smog days. In 2011, by contrast, the worst-affected place had only eight smog-warning days, while 18 of the 37 locations had no smog warnings at all, While Ontario has encouraged investment in renewables, gas and efficiency, two power sources have played leading roles: coal, because it has been reduced and is set for phase-out; and nuclear, because it has increased to replace that supply.
Ontario Power Generation will close its last operating coal-fired power plant next year. Since 2003 the province-managed utility has brought back to service two Candu units at Pickering and will also refurbish four reactors at Darlington for 25-30 years more life. The company continues to move forward with a plan for two new large reactors at Darlington, for which environmental approval and a site preparation permit were granted last year.