Ontario Pursues Global Cleantech Opportunities

Ontario is telling the world's cleantech companies and investors that the province is open for business.

Ontario's Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson is taking this message to San Francisco, where he is representing the province at the Cleantech Forum XXI. The event attracts 800 of the world's clean technology sector leaders -- representing over $3 trillion in capital -- together with entrepreneurs, scientists and policy-makers.

Minister Wilkinson will meet with business leaders and participate in a panel discussion about what global leaders are doing to support cleantech and accelerate their economic and environmental performance. He will highlight Ontario's leadership, including:

• The proposed Green Energy Act, a bold series of coordinated actions which would enhance economic activity and reduce our impact on the climate by (1) making it easier to bring renewable energy projects to life and (2) fostering a culture of conservation by assisting homeowners, government, schools and individual employers to transition to lower energy use

• Ontario is committing nearly $3 billion to innovation -- including cleantech -- through the Ontario Innovation Agenda.

Clean technologies -- innovations that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and clean air and water pollutants -- will have a fundamental role in the future of Ontario's economy.

A recent report of over 60 leading Ontario clean technology companies found that Ontario cleantech companies have internationally recognized best-in-class technologies and products, and huge potential to grow into globally-competitive companies.