Spotlight

The Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre: Harnessing solar power to secure a bright future

An ambitious project to generate and sell solar power to the government will enable the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre (CCDT) to minimize its carbon footprint, lower operating costs and invest more funds in its activities. The extra money will ensure that dance remains a vital part of the communities CCDT serves.

Keeping pace with a changing economic landscape
In 1996, the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre bought 509 Parliament Street in Toronto, the building that houses their headquarters. Since then, the organization has been looking for ways to create a sustainable future that takes into account its activities, the dance community and the environment.

After the global financial collapse, the CCDT struggled to stabilize its economic footing. When the Ontario Power Authority announced the Ontario Feed In Tariff (FIT) program, Co-Artistic Director and Production Manager Michael deConinck Smith and Artistic Director Deborah Lundmark saw an ideal opportunity to create the stability they sought. They applied for funding and received $150,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to participate in the FIT program.

Earlier energy-saving initiatives paid off
The CCDT had taken steps to reduce its energy consumption costs before its involvement with the FIT program. The organization had completed an energy conservation project that involved raising funds from all three levels of government to improve heating and ventilation, install a new roof, improve insulation and more. The renovations reduced CCDT’s energy consumption by 20 per cent and laid the groundwork for the installation of solar panels.

Increased cash flow
The solar panels will be installed on the rooftop of the main building this summer. According to calculations, the CCDT could start earning an income from the sale of its solar-generated electricity as early as this fall. Under a sales contract with the Ontario Power Authority, the CCDT is guaranteed a minimum return of 9 per cent on their initial investment—an estimated total of $20,000 annually. The organization is hoping to raise this amount to $40,000 through matching corporate and individual donations.

Expanded activities and opportunities
The solar power project will benefit the communities, choreographers, dancers and children who access the services of the CCDT. One of the organization’s objectives is to bring dance into the lives of more people—particularly in Toronto’s Regent Park neighbourhood, where the organization hopes the increased revenue will translate into more opportunities to work with youth. The CCDT plans to invest more funds into its Better Off Learning Dance (BOLD) scholarship program and to increase enrolment in its annual full-time programs to include 20 more children. To make dance more accessible to youth and families in Regent Park, the CCDT also plans to offer 500 free admissions to its performances.

Show and tell—promoting green energy solutions
To create more interest in green energy, the CCDT will broadcast readouts of its energy outputs, carbon and energy offset equivalents and return on investment stats on a large LED flat screen on the facade of its building. The CCDT hopes that, after people see—literally—the benefits of green energy, they will be inspired to take action.

Learn from the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre
Michael deConinck Smith is open to sharing his research and discuss how CCDT made this project happen. Call 416-924-5657 or e-mail info@ccdt.org to find out more.

About the Ontario Feed In Tariff (FIT) program
The Ontario Power Authority launched this program to encourage the development of renewable energy projects in Ontario. The Ontario Feed In Tariff program enables business, farmers and homeowners to sell energy generated from renewable sources such as the sun, wind and bio-energy to the grid. Prices are set at a level intended to help project owners recover their costs and earn a return on their investment. Visit http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/ for details.

Photo Above: Deborah Lundmark, Artistic Director of the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre, stands in front of 509, the facility that will house the solar panels. (Photo: Courtesy of the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre)