Minister of Energy touts importance of Bruce Power Life-Extension Program

The Hon. Greg Rickford, Ontario’s Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, and Minister of Indigenous Affairs, spoke about the importance of Bruce Power’s Life-Extension Program and medical isotope production during Question Period today at Queen’s Park.

Hon. Rickford, who is also the MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, answered questions from Bill Walker, MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound. Hon. Rickford said the Ontario government will always support private companies like Bruce Power, which produce clean, reliable electricity without any risk to the taxpayer.

“Bruce Power is an important producer of energy for our sector here in Ontario,” Hon. Rickford said. “Our government will always support the work of private organizations… that are working to create good jobs, high techs jobs… in our province, while providing safe and secure access to energy.

“We are especially supportive of companies that achieve these goals without the need for public funding.”

Bruce Power’s Life-Extension Program, which began on Jan. 1, 2016, and remains on time and on budget, will allow the site to generate carbon-free electricity through 2064. Through its operations to 2064, Bruce Power will create and sustain 22,000 direct and indirect jobs across Ontario annually, and inject $4 billion into the province’s economy directly and indirectly each year, said MPP Walker.

Learn more about Bruce Power Life-Extension Program at www.brucepower.com/life-extension.

When asked about the importance of life-saving medical isotopes that are produced at Bruce Power, Hon. Rickford – who has also served as the federal Minister of Natural Resources and Energy – said Canada and Ontario faced a challenge to fulfil the global demand for medical isotopes with the recent closure of the National Research Universal reactor at Chalk River.

“The private sector in Ontario, in particular, was challenged to step up to the plate and meet global isotope shortages, and I’m pleased Bruce Power demonstrated leadership in this area,” Hon. Rickford said. “By extending the life of the assets they will not only generate low-cost, reliable power through 2064, but will continue to supply 40 per cent of the world’s Cobalt-60, used to keep hospitals and health care clean, and be the largest producer of medical-grade Cobalt used to treat brain tumours