Sask. NDP leader unveils ‘Renew Saskatchewan’ clean energy program

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili unveiled his “Renew Saskatchewan” plan during a keynote speech at the party’s annual convention at TCU Place in Saskatoon.

Renew Saskatchewan is a climate change program that would see the province transition toward renewable energy.

On Saturday morning, Meili told a crowd of around 350 NDP convention delegates that many people in the province want to have clean energy, but costs have become a barrier.

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Meili said the program would provide assessments to find the most appropriate clean energy sources for people’s homes, farms and businesses.

These could include solar, wind, geothermal or hydroelectric energy as well as electric vehicles and other energy-efficient retrofits.

Meili explained that a loan would be provided to cover the cost of the work, and it would be paid back over time from the customer’s power or energy bills.

“One of the things that’s most exciting about this program is that it actually pays for itself because you’re producing the energy, which is something that costs, so the initial fund, once it’s put out there, will be paid back because that energy is actually producing dollars, in a way, and you can use that fund over and over again,” said Meili.

“We have not made the right choice, the easy choice. There are too big of cost barriers in the way, and as a result, we’re missing out on this enormous opportunity,” said Meili.

The three-day convention wraps up Sunday at noon.