The Cement Association of Canada (CAC) in a statement congratulates the Ontario government and the leadership being shown by Premier Wynne and Minister Murray on the release of its world-leading Climate Action Plan. The CAC believes that this plan will help ensure that Ontario meets and exceeds its 2020, 2030 and 2050 GHG reduction targets.

"Furthering its leadership in phasing out coal from the electricity sector, the Wynne government is now enabling emissions-intensive trade-exposed (EITE) industries, like cement, to reduce their own reliance on coal.

"The Plan earmarks CAD$40-$60m (US31-$47m) to help EITE industries across Ontario move away from coal and develop the necessary supply chains so they can better utilise alternative low carbon fuels. The result for Ontarians will be lower GHG emissions, cleaner air, and a more competitive industrial sector," said the CAC.

The factors outlined in the Climate Action Plan include:
• In Ontario 3Mt of cement are produced every year for the concrete needed to to build, maintain and revitalise our public and private infrastructure.
• 98 per cent of the fuel currently used for cement manufacturing in Ontario comes from coal and petcoke. As an industry, we are working to reduce our coal use by 20 per cent by 2021. The average alternative energy substitution rate in Europe is 19.4 per cent with rates in several Western European nations exceeding 30 per cent.
• Increasing the use of alternative low-carbon fuels can reduce GHG emissions from cement production by approximately 200,00-400,000t over the first compliance period and up to 400,000tpa post 2020.
• Environmental and public health authorities, including the US Environmental Protection Agency and the UK Health Protection Agency, have concluded that the use of alternative and renewable energy in properly managed and maintained cement kilns poses no risks to human health or the environment, and research has demonstrated that it frequently improves environmental performance.