Three Canadian parties oppose nuclear revamp, Liberals neutral

Washington (Platts)--10Jan2006

The Ontario Clean Air Alliance, citing a new survey, said that most of
Canada's political parties oppose having its federal government subsidize the
rehabilitation of Ontario's older nuclear reactors. 
     The Toronto-based OCAA said that its "federal election questionnaire"
also found that most of Canada's parties support the development of new
east-west transmission lines to facilitate the delivery of hydroelectric power
from province to province. 
     The environmental group, which opposes nuclear power, said that Canada's
NDP, which was formerly known as the New Democratic Party, Bloc Quebecois and
Green Party oppose federal subsidies for nuclear power projects in Ontario. 
     The ruling Liberal Party took a more neutral stance in its response,
stating that it "stands ready to work with Ontario in addressing the
province's energy needs," but that it "is the prerogative of Ontario...to
determine what energy supply mix it will rely upon." The Conservative Party
took no position on the issue. 
     The OCAA said that the NDP and the Liberal, Conservative and Green
parties all support the expansion of Canada's east-west transmission grid to
permit Ontario to increase its imports of hydro power from Manitoba, Quebec
and/or Labrador. 
     The Bloc Quebecois said it should be up to each province whether to build
new interprovincial lines. 
     Federal elections in Canada will be held on Jan 23. 
     Meanwhile, Ontario is grappling with how best to boost its supply of
electricity. An Ontario Power Authority report issued in December urged the
province to rehabilitate existing nuclear plants, and build new nuclear and
natural-gas-fired plants and wind farms. 
     The Ontario government also has been working toward expanding the
province's interconnections with Manitoba and Quebec.

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