Blog

More efficient homes plus new local jobs can create lasting affordability

12/2023 - Community benefits strategies for major public infrastructure projects are increasingly in play.

How not to be discouraged by this year’s carbon emissions inventory

11/2023 - There is growing interest across the GTHA in adopting key climate mitigation technologies, and the best news is that they’re now all more cost effective than the fossil fuels. 

A new building policy approach that’s working

11/2023 - Existing building performance has been historically challenging to regulate, but that’s changing with the recent proliferation of mandatory building performance standards (BPS) across North America.

Distributed energy resources reward households, businesses, and the grid

8/2023 - With distributed energy resources (DERs) moving swiftly from the margins to the mainstream in North America, Ontario can seize opportunities in a popular and reliable innovation in power system management.

Ontario energy planning is still missing its North Star

7/2023 - Ontario’s newly released energy strategy signals a growing openness to expanding the role of renewables, efficiency, and distributed resources. But one thing is missing: climate leadership.

What to make of IESO’s natural gas expansion, and what cities can do now

5/2023 - Ontario just announced the results of a competitive procurement process, which will expand natural gas-powered electricity generation capacity by up to 586 megawatts. What's next for cities who need to decarbonize?

Toronto climate priorities every mayoral candidate should get behind

5/2023 - Toronto’s next leader should put fast, effective climate action at the centre of the city’s cornerstone strategies for economic development, housing, transportation, health, and more. VP Bryan Purcell discusses three practical actions needed.

Heat pumps are ready for prime time. Bulk buying can pick up the pace.

5/2023 - One way to get heat pump purchases and installations faster in communities is to aggregate local demand and take advantage of bulk buying strategies, based on a new TAF-commissioned report. TAF Director, Ekaterina Tzekova’s new blog highlights what we learned.

An impact investor’s guide to the federal budget 2023

3/2023 - There’s a powerful opportunity for GTHA investors lurking just beyond view in the analysis of this week’s federal budget, the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the inevitable disconnects between the two.

A tale of two cities: What we learned from recent gas plant proposals

2/2023 - Two recent votes on proposed gas plant expansions in Ontario show the powerful potential for city councils to make the right choices on the road to a low-carbon future. But only if they get the facts and data they need to support their decisions.

Climate and quality of life in Canada’s budget 2023

1/2023 - The opportunity for Canada to support vibrant, low-carbon cities is upon us with budget season underway. TAF's 2023 federal budget recommendations emphasize key investments in heat pumps, EV charging in multi-family buildings, and distributed energy resources.

Will Ontario’s net-zero electricity grid cost $400 billion?

12/2022 - Decarbonization isn’t a barrier to affordability – it’s the key to an economical, reliable electricity grid. TAF provides analysis of the IESO's Pathways to Decarbonization study.