Monday, September 8, 2008

The provincial Liberals recently put the brakes on plans to require the increase of ethanol content in gas sold in the province to 10% from the current 5%.

A random telephone survey of 500 Ontario adults found 32% thought Premier Dalton McGuinty should go ahead and increase the requirements and 31% thought it would be a good idea to maintain the current levels.

A further 27% thought the ethanol requirement should be lowered while 10% said they were unsure, the poll found.

Ethanol is made from food crops -- primarily corn -- and has come under fire from critics who charge it`s taking too much land out of food production, forcing the worldwide price of food higher and contributing to a global hunger crisis.


There`s also concern that ethanol does not offer as much in emissions and greenhouse gas reductions as originally promised.

PLANNED INCREASE

"The issue is whether it`s in the public interest to stretch to 10%," McGuinty said in July when the planned increase was halted. "I think we have to pay attention to some of the other developments, including food costs, to make sure we`re not contributing to that."

Ontario has heavily supported a local ethanol industry and it was just in 2005 that McGuinty launched a $520-million support program for suppliers, offering grants for capital and operating costs as well as research and development.

Ontario also committed itself to reach 5% ethanol in all gas sold here by 2008, which was fulfilled. The 10% mandate was to begin in 2010.

The federal government recently made the 5% biofuel requirement the law of the land by 2010.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has argued the greater upward pressure on the cost of food is coming from the ever-rising cost of fuel needed to plant, harvest and ship the food to markets.

The federal government has pledged $2.2 billion to support the Canadian biofuels, making it the government`s most expensive environmental program.

Among committed party voters, Liberals are most likely to support the increase at 39% while 41% of Green Party supporters would support less ethanol in gasoline, making them the least supportive of the biofuel program.

The poll was conducted Aug. 6-9 and is considered accurate to within +/- 4.4%, 19 times out of 20.

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