Ontario is investing in improving the energy efficiency in hospitals and reducing greenhouse gases, and plans to reinvest those energy savings into patient care across the province.
The province is investing $64 million this year in the Hospital Energy Efficiency Program, which will help hospitals save energy and encourage the use of more renewable energy technologies.
“Ontario’s actions to help hospitals fight climate change and improve energy efficiency will reduce greenhouse gas pollution, increase patient comfort and redirect savings into patient care across the province,” said Chris Ballard, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, in a press release.
This year, Ontario is funding 180 projects at 98 hospitals around the province, including the Hospital for Sick Children, which is receiving $1.5 million for 10 energy-efficiency projects. The projects that are part of the Hospital Energy Efficiency Program include 117 heating, ventilation and air conditioning projects, 35 lighting projects and 28 projects that address other energy efficiency needs.
With these and other energy efficiency improvements made, it is predicted that nearly five megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent gases will be eliminated from the environment by 2050. This is the equivalent of taking about 40,000 cars off the road. By 2020-21, it is estimated that over $60 million will be generated in yearly energy-related savings.
The Hospital Energy Efficiency Program is an initiative of the Climate Change Action Plan and uses proceeds from Ontario’s carbon market to modernize facilities, including hospitals, universities and heritage buildings.
