TORONTO—Ontario taxpayers and ratepayers have doled out billions of dollars in energy conservation subsidies over the decades with no verifiable evidence that conservation programs actually save consumers money, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
Demand-Side Mismanagement: How Conservation Became Waste examines energy conservation programs in Ontario such as smart metering, home retrofit rebates for insulation, caulking, etc., and subsidies for consumers who purchase energy-efficient appliances.