Conservation is the easiest, cheapest and healthiest way to avoid the threat of further power shortages and blackouts in Ontario.  

Where do the parties stand with respect to conservation targets and the four main points of the Conservation Council's energy conservation plan?  

We scoured the party literature and web sites to find the answers...

Green Party
http://www.greenparty.on.ca/election/platform/2003/31_energy_use.htm  

Conservation target:   
No specific target.  "The best way to balance energy supply with demand is to conserve energy", Greens say.

Implement a price surcharge on overconsumption.  
The Greens will raise taxes and other charges on fossil fuels.

Establish a dedicated fund for conservation incentives and loans.  
Greens promise to create the Ontario Power Conservation Agency, a publicly funded organization that will help educate people about the best ways to conserve energy.  They will remove PST from all conservation technologies and energy efficient appliances. 

Support community-based education and support.
The promised Ontario Power Conservation Agency will deliver conservation programs.

Strengthen energy efficiency and renewable power standards. 
Greens will create efficiency standards for lighting and appliances in all government offices.

Liberal Party
 http://www.ontarioliberal.com/en/platform/Hydro/hydro.cfm#plan  

Conservation target:   
5% by 2007  No mention of a long-term target.

Implement a price surcharge on overconsumption.  
Yes.  The price cap would remain to 2006, but rates would be higher for consumption over an average rate for a household.

Establish a dedicated fund for conservation incentives and loans.   
The Liberals will create incentives for producers and consumers of renewable sources of energy like wind, small-scale hydro and solar power and explore other incentives for conservation and renewable energy so that people who conserve will be rewarded with lower electricity bills. They will implement smart-metering and lower rates for non-peak consumption.

Support community-based education and support.
Not mentioned.

Strengthen energy efficiency and renewable power standards. 
Liberals will establish a renewable portfolio standard of 5% by 2007 and 10% by 2010.

New Democratic Party
http://www.publicpower.ca/our_platform/platform.html 

Conservation target:   
Province-wide reductions of 15% by 2008 and 40% by 2014.

Implement a price surcharge on overconsumption. 
No.  "Public power at cost" is the NDP's motto, which means prices would likely rise to reflect the true market value, but not as an instrument to promote conservation.

Establish a dedicated fund for conservation incentives and loans. 
The NDP will set up Efficiency Ontario, with a broad mandate including public outreach and developing standards.

Support community-based education and support.
Efficiency Ontario would work with local hydro commissions to loan you money to pay for measures that would permanently reduce your home, school or workplace's energy use, both gas and electricity. The cost would be recovered over time on your hydro or gas bill, but your bill after the retrofit would be no more than your bill before the retrofit. Once the cost of the retrofit is recovered, you would keep 100 per cent of the savings -- your energy efficiency dividend.

Strengthen energy efficiency and renewable power standards. 
By the year 2010 at least 10 per cent and by the year 2020 at least 20 per cent of our electricity would be produced from renewable, environmentally friendly sources.

Efficiency Ontario would set and enforce building retrofit standards, recommend the best technologies and practices, certify energy efficiency contractors, monitor results and educate people about conservation and efficiency.

Progressive Conservative Party
http://www.ontariopc.com/TheRoadAhead/Policy_Papers/
RELIABLE,%20AFFORDABLE,%20SUSTAINABLE%20ENERGY.pdf 

Conservation target:   
Lead by example with a 10% cut in government energy use, with a similar target for "government transfer partners".  The public will be challenged to follow the government's example.

Implement a price surcharge on overconsumption.  
No.  The price freeze will be maintained until at least 2006.  It will only be lifted when there is sufficient supply to ensure that there will be no volatility in the market price.

Establish a dedicated fund for conservation incentives and loans.    
A Green Energy Conservation Fund will be established to assist "government transfer partners" achieve a 10% conservation target.  No dollar figure is provided, and the fund's role in public is unclear. Utilities and Ontario Power Generation will be mandated to carry out conservation programs, similar to the current structure for the natural gas sector. Consumers will receive a rebate on PST paid on Enerstar appliances.

Ontario green power bonds will be set up to stimulate investment in green power. 

Support community-based education and support.
A Conservative government will launch a public education campaign to show consumers how to reduce their bills.  There is no indication of whether the campaign will involve community groups and non-governmental organizations.  

Strengthen energy efficiency and renewable power standards. 
50% of the provincial and municipal government's power will be from renewable sources within five years. Provincially, the a renewable portfolio standard will be 1% in 2006, 5% in 2010, and 8% in 2014.

 
Read the plan, then sign the petition for an Ontario Energy Conservation Action Plan at
http://www.petitiononline.com/conserve/