Green Party: Let's seize the $6 trillion global clean jobs opportunity | Unpublished
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Toronto, Ontario
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The Green Party of Ontario is independent yet is philosophically aligned with other green parties in Canada and around the world. The GPO is fiscally conservative, socially progressive and environmentally focused, and begins with the basic premise that all life on the planet is interconnected and that humans have a responsibility to protect and preserve the natural world.

The Green Party of Ontario (GPO) became an officially registered political party in 1983, and has been developing in size and sophistication since that time, expanding its membership and rising in the polls. We have increased the number of candidates in successive provincial elections. In the 1999 provincial election, we fielded 58 candidates, and became the fourth largest party in the province. In 2003, we fielded our first nearly-full slate, 102 out of 103 candidates, and received 2.8% of the vote. The 2007 election saw Ontario voters support Green Party values with unprecedented enthusiasm. The GPO, for the first time in history, had a full slate of candidates and garnered over 8% of the vote.

In the 2018 election GPO leader Mike Schreiner became the first Ontario Green to be elected to Queen's Park. The party now has two seats and polls between 4-8%. 

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Green Party: Let's seize the $6 trillion global clean jobs opportunity

May 30, 2018

KITCHENER, ON -- Today in Canada’s tech hub, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner announced his plan to leap into the future by embracing jobs in clean innovation, advanced manufacturing, and low-carbon goods that the other parties are ignoring.

“I’m deeply concerned just how little talk there has been from the status quo parties about how to replace the 300,000 lost manufacturing jobs across southwestern Ontario. We need to skate to where the puck is going and not where it’s been, and Greens will support this region to be a world leader in cleantech innovation,” said Schreiner.

Already in Canada, 274,000 people work in the clean energy sector. In Ontario alone, there are already 5,000 cleantech companies employing 130,000 people and contributing $19.8 billion to Ontario’s economy. And yet none of the other parties are talking about what will drive future prosperity to fund good public services in this province.

“If you listen to Ford, he is denying the clean economy even exists or that we need to innovate to tackle climate change. One hundred years ago, it would be like supporting the horse-and-buggy industry over the auto sector. And we’re hearing nothing from the NDP about the environment or the economy because they are so loyal to old industries,” said Schreiner.

Greens would redirect the $3.1 billion in business support programs that currently have no criteria towards clean economy jobs, helping companies to lead and scale up. And a new $4.1 billion green building initiative would provide grants and interest free loans for homeowners, renters and businesses to save money by saving energy.

“For every dollar invested in the clean economy you can create seven times more jobs than the same dollar invested the old economy. If you want good jobs, then vote for the party that is supporting the jobs that will be the engines of prosperity for our communities,” said Schreiner.

Watch a video from the announcement here: https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyOntario/videos/10155419904997805/

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Jason LaChappelle

Press Secretary, GPO

jasonlachappelle@gpo.ca

437-929-1792