Waterpower Information » Waterpower
Waterpower was Ontario's first source of electricity. Since the days before confederation, waterpower has helped fuel Ontario's growth.
More than one quarter of Ontario's current energy supply comes from clean, renewable waterpower.
Ontario waterpower producers invest $250 million annually in operating and maintenance costs and - in the past decade alone - have made additional capital investments of $400 million to bring new waterpower online. Today, Ontario's waterpower producers directly employ more than 1,600 people and support an additional 2,000 jobs.
Waterpower facilities are distributed across the province and provide many local benefits. Water level and flow management often contribute to public safety by helping to minimize flooding and erosion, while benefiting cottagers, fishers and canoers.
It is no accident that northern economic development centers around waterpower production facilities. Waterpower still accounts for more than 80% of the electricity generation in the north. Manufacturing companies, mining, and forestry companies locate where they find a stable supply of energy; near clean, renewable waterpower.
Renewable waterpower is strategically important to the province's energy mix - providing the unique ability to store energy and produce it when needed. Electricity demands change hourly, daily, weekly and seasonally - and waterpower responds.
Ontario's waterpower industry contributes more than $140 million a year in resource royalties to the Ontario government. Waterpower is often the largest single source of natural resource-based revenue for the province of Ontario; contributing directly to Ontario's health care system, public education, and other government programs and services.
Waterpower - What We Do [Cree] (PDF Size: 153 K)
Waterpower - What We Do [Ojibway] (PDF Size: 151 K)