One of the most important issues we face today is the preservation of our environment.

Climate change and evidence that suggests that soon the world’s demand for water will outstrip its supply are among the serious environmental issues that we all have to come to grips with.

And they are issues that you may be hearing even more of lately with Earth Day falling on April 22^nd.

When you hear people talking about the importance of protecting our environment today, it is common to hear a lot of discussion to topics like climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean jobs.

These topics are not new to us. Since taking office, the McGuinty government has made our environment a priority. And you will find a lot of these same topics in our government’s Open Ontario plan.

The McGuinty government takes environmental issues seriously, because we want our children, our grandchildren, and our grandchildren’s children to enjoy the natural beauty and quality of life that Ontarians currently enjoy.

That is why we implemented measure to protect greenspace with the Greenbelt. It’s why we committed to eliminate coal generation in Ontario. It’s why we introduced the toughest pesticide ban in North America. And it is why we implemented an aggressive action plan to tackle climate change in Ontario.

While we are proud of these initiatives, our government recognizes that there is more to be done.

This is why, last year, we introduced the Green Energy Act, to boost investment in renewable energy projects and increase conservation, creating clean jobs and economic growth in Ontario. The Green Energy Act is one of the key aspects of our Open Ontario plan.

Through the Green Energy Act, we will spark growth in clean and renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, hydro, biomass and biogas in Ontario. We will create the potential for savings and better managed household energy expenditures through a series of conservation measures. And in the process, we will create 50,000 jobs for Ontarians in its first three years of its implementation.

It is why, this year, as part of our Open Ontario plan, we will introduce legislation that will build on Ontario’s expertise in clean-water technology.

The Water Opportunities Act would lay the foundation for new Ontario jobs and make our province the North American leader in the development and sale of new technologies and services for water conservation and treatment.

From water conservation to nanotechnology, Ontario companies are already leading the way and employing 22,000 people in good, high-paying Ontario jobs selling water technology around the world.

Our government will work with our colleges, universities and entrepreneurs to create even more Ontario jobs and attract even more clean-water expertise and investment to our province.

Protecting the environment and our planet has become the issue of our generation. Our Open Ontario plan will allow us to preserve our environment for future generations to come.