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16 SUMMER 2024 MANITOBA'S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE CONT. PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY ECONOMIC BENEFITS Ben Graham: "With our current im- port of natural gas, a lot of money leaves the province. With every new renewable energy developed in Manitoba, all that money will be spent within the province. There will be substantially more jobs across the province to meet these new needs." Tracy Schmidt: "Clean energy provides all sorts of economic, environmental and health benefits, and reaching net-zero will bring those advantages to Manitoba in perpetuity. Manitoba has an op- portunity to become a trendsetter. We will be able to attract invest- ments and export highly valuable commodities." Colleen Kuruluk: "The most direct advantage is bill savings. When you implement energy efficiency, you get bill savings immediately. From a commercial customer's perspective, it's a guaranteed return on investment, and that return persists for the life of the installed measure. Efficiency Manitoba's programs and incen- tives for business customers can be found at efficiencymb.ca/ business." While an initial investment in clean en- ergy and technologies may seem daunting, the benefits are immeasurable. You can be a better corporate citizen by eliminat- ing toxic substances from your production stream. By reducing emissions, you can avoid carbon-related impacts and penal- ties, while lowering your regulatory costs. Reducing waste has a great return on in- vestment, and there are myriad provincial and federal tax credits and incentives for businesses to choose green options. There has never been a better time to consider the switch to cleaner and more efficient energy sources. ■ Bram Strain: "Businesses can benefit greatly from increased efficiency; there are benefits to the company — financially, environmentally and socially. It is also very much a demand of clients and consumers." – president and CEO, Business Council of Manitoba

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