Meet the Members
Join the SolarShare community and celebrate your decision to take concrete steps to address climate change. By becoming a SolarShare member and securing your investments in 100% clean green solar energy, you will play a unique and integral role in Ontario’s renewable energy sector.
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What does membership mean to you?
"I've usually relied on my mother's advice when it comes to investments, so I was thrilled to be able to recommend solar bonds to her - now we're both investors! SolarShare is the only investment in my portfolio that supports my local community and my environmental values. It also happens to be earning me a great rate of return, which is pretty awesome!"
-- Linda (& Helen) Varekamp, Toronto
"For decades our communities have sprawled with the development of subdivisions and big box stores. Unfortunately we cannot just turn back the clock, but, we can make a difference by focusing our efforts on making our towns and cities more sustainable. For too long we have relied on energy sources that cause pollution and are inefficient. One simple way to make a difference is to invest in solar power initiatives. The SolarShare Co-operative allows members to generate solar power while making a prudent investment. It’s a win-win."
-- Councillor Chris Emanuel, Newmarket
"I was interested because I am already a supporter of solar power, but can't get any more on my office or home. It is a great investment for the pocketbook (far better than most bonds in my RRSP), but also a good investment in clean air and renewable energy."
-- Richard Ehrlich, Caledon
"I bought SolarShare bonds mostly to diversify my portfolio but it's nice to know that the electricity I use at home is being generated from something I had a part in as well. Solar energy has fascinated me from the time I got my first solar powered calculator and it's nice to see the ways it's evolved."
-- Nelson Lai, Markham
"The Great Outdoors has always been an escape for me, a place to reflect and for the growth of the soul. But that natural space is under attack from many angles and sitting on the sidelines was not an option. Investing in a Solar Bond met my personal desire to get on the inside of this growing movement of accessible renewable energy, reduce my personal carbon output and balance my financial portfolio to better reflect who I am and what I stand for. SolarShare in Mississauga seeks to grow solar's influence in my neighbourhoods and I am proud to be part of such a fine undertaking."
-- Sean McGhie, Mississauga
“Hi, I’m Emma Liv Mitchell Knapp and I’m pretty new around here. But with my dad involved in the solar industry and a pretty good understanding of financial principles (that I got from my mommy), making a solar bond my first investment was a no brainer. It makes me feel good to clean up a world I hope to be a part of for the next 100 or so years, and my bond fits my portfolio perfectly from an asset-liability matching perspective.”
-- Emma Knapp, Toronto
"Solar energy is about reducing our reliance on polluting and non-renewable forms of energy such as coal, natural gas and nuclear. And, because solar can be put on rooftops and farmfields it provides an opportunity for everyday folks to generate power (and cash). As apartment-dwellers in the city we don't have the ability to put solar energy on our roof and so SolarShare membership provides an opportunity to participate in the transition towards a more sustainable future by investing in something that we feel good about. "
-- Ian Rice & Claire Malcolmson, Toronto
“SolarShare is finally an investment I can feel proud of socially, environmentally, and economically. It was the most exciting investment I’ve made in a long time because it aligns with my values!”
-- Steven Pacifico, Toronto
"Nuclear and fossil fuels are so last century. Solar is now!"
-- Angela Bischoff, Toronto
"Green energy opportunities are an excellent opportunity to diversify the existing farm business and also the right thing to do to utilize natural resources such as wind and sun in the province's power portfolio. SolarShare makes it possible for the involvement in the next generation."
-- Brubacher Family, Arthur
"Being a new father is scary - always wondering if I am doing things right and making the right choices for my daughter's future. However, buying a solar bond for her was a no-brainer. Without a doubt, it is one way I can make a direct and positive impact on the world she is going to grow up in. With a global issue as daunting as climate change, it's easy to become disengaged. But we know what the problem is and we know what is needed to be done. It's now our responsibility to not just think but do. SolarShare is a way we can all do what we need to for the next generation."
-- Lucienne (c/o Wesley) Normington, Toronto
"Like many Ontarians, we live in a large, residential building. We do not have land, roof space, or money for a PV system of our own. And there are technical reasons why a PV system would not be suitable for our condo building. We were delighted to learn that SolarShare would allow us to join in co-operative ownership of PV systems that are already generating clean energy. Buying SolarShare bonds offered us a chance to join the fight against global climate change. We hope that other condominium and apartment-dwellers will join us in becoming SolarShare bond owners."
-- Dennis & Alice Bartels, Toronto
"Part of my home is powered by the sun. I'm part of the solution to climate change. I work with other like-minded people to show that cooperative investment can build a sustainable future. I support local people who make local electricity and local jobs. I make money by helping instead of harming the earth and my community. These are the reasons I'm a member of Solarshare."
-- Franz Hartmann, Toronto
"As a young investor, I’m excited to be a SolarShare bondholder and co-op member. I know my funds are gaining triple bottom line returns and I can see the results for myself on a local level. This unique investment opportunity makes me hopeful that as a society, we are realizing our power to influence positive change, using only our chequebooks; I look forward to seeing our community continuing to shift towards impact investing and supporting environmentally sustainable developments."
-- Melissa Barbosa, Toronto
"As a scientist, I'm very concerned by the troubling news coming from climate scientists, and by the large gap between our current actions and what needs to be done to limit dangerous climate change. As a parent, I think that working toward a low-carbon energy system is the most important thing that we need to be doing as a society for the future of our children and future generations. The SolarShare cooperative is an exciting model that makes it easy for anyone in Ontario to participate in supporting the growth of renewable energy in our province. Take the satisfaction that comes from knowing you're investing in clean energy and couple it with a good return on a low-risk investment, and the decision to invest in SolarShare was an easy one".
-- James Booth, Toronto
"For me, the decision to become a SolarShare member was an easy one. It was an opportunity to invest in something harmonious with my values. I am not only supporting local, clean solar energy projects, but also job creation and a reconceptualization of community involvement in the production of energy. I think it's such a great initiative that I became a SolarShare Ambassador to spread the word about it."
-- Aimee Holmes, Toronto
"My interest in moving towards a post-carbon economy led me to co-found the Climate Change Lawyers Network and attend COP15 in Copenhagen. After COP15, I quickly realized that a post-carbon economy will not easily be implemented with top-down laws, but with individuals, communities and businesses voluntarily making choices that collectively reduce our carbon footprints. This encouraged to me to build my own business law practice, Wakulat Law, focused on working with small and medium-sized organizations dedicated to social change and take up the Program Manager role at greenTbiz, which assists Business Improvement Areas with their environmental and energy needs. I invested in SolarShare to tangibly demonstrate my commitment to shifting us away from fossil fuels through community-based solutions."
- Robert Wakulat, Toronto
"Doctors support renewable power because it is a healthy alternative to conventional energy sources. Our doctors would like to see coal and nuclear power phased-out because they are both detrimental to the environment and to human health. Wind, solar, geothermal and other renewables are a big part of the solution, they're clean, healthy and better for our planet. CAPE is proud to be a SolarShare member because we believe in the future of green energy. We don't need more smog and radiation polluting our environment and our bodies. We need to make smart investment decisions so that the renewable energy industry can flourish."
- Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
"I already have several solar thermal panels on the roof of my house so didn't have room to install solar PV panels. SolarShare gave me a way to invest in the deployment of solar PV without having to install PV panels myself. Such a program truly democratizes access to renewable energy in the province. If you rent, live in a condo, or simply don't want to spend $20,000 or more on your own rooftop system, SolarShare offers a way to be part of Ontario's exciting FIT program. It also represents a safe investment during troubling economic times. Plus, it just feels good having my investment dollars dedicated to reducing Ontario’s carbon footprint.I hope to see more SolarShare-type investment opportunities emerge over the coming years."
- Tyler Hamilton
"Having worked in the Ontario solar industry from the beginning of the FIT and microFIT programs I was keenly aware of the environmental and economic benefits this presented. Unfortunately my wife and I live in a location where installing our own solar project is not feasible. While reading the latest news in clean technology on Tyler Hamilton’s Clean Break blog I learned of Solar Share’s Solar Bonds. We were happy to have an opportunity to participate in the greening of Ontario’s energy system. Solar Bonds are an innovative solution for those who cannot directly own their own project but still want to help the environment and invest their money safely."
- Khalid Grant
"I'm Tracey Tief and I am a Certified Natural Health Practitioner with a clinic, Anarres Natural Health, in downtown Toronto. I became a member of WindShare because I strive to walk as lightly on the Earth as possible. I joined SolarShare for the same reasons. I invest in renewable energy in order to offset my household and my practice's consumption. I believe in cooperatives and our ability to work together towards a better, healthier, more just, world"
- Tracey Tief
"Putting my money into solar energy is an investment not only in my own future retirement, but in the future of my daughter and future grandchildren. I am very concerned about the horrendous consequences of continuing to burn fossil fuels. Global warming will cause terrible suffering for future generations. By investing in clean, solar energy, I am doing my small part to stop climate change. "
- Jane Story
Dianne Saxe is Toronto's Environmental Lawyer of the Year and one of the world’s top 25 environmental lawyers, according to international rating services. She is a certified Specialist in Environmental Law, and Ph.D. in Law. Dianne invested in SolarShare because "the people who live in a community should be able to invest in local power, help run it, help work for it, profit from it, be a part of it. It's really exciting."
- Dianne Saxe