Given the recent UN report…

Given the recent UN report on climate change, we now know without any shadow of a doubt that all governments and individuals must treat this global issue seriously and immediately. Governments should take the lead on this issue and promote effective ways of reducing the production of greenhouse gases in their jurisdictions. The Nobel Economics prize was just awarded to two economists who strongly support putting a price on carbon as the most efficient and effective way of fighting climate change. Thus some kind of carbon pricing should be the part of any effective climate plan. Given this I feel very strongly that Bill 4 is the opposite of what Ontario should be doing. The government has promised but has not presented any alternative climate plan and without this the current plan should not be dismantled. We need to do so much more; let's not go backwards.

The cap and trade system was working, millions of dollars traded hands between businesses where cap and trade is operating, and millions of dollars were collected by the Ontario government, to be used to support homeowners and businesses in lowering their carbon use. With Bill 4, Ontario businesses will no longer be able to participate in the clean energy economy of cap and trade jurisdictions. In addition, those dollars collected by the Ontario government will go to pay for the several lawsuits expected by the companies which had signed contracts.

Please reconsider dismantling the current cap and trade system. At the very least, put forward the promised alternative plan first so Ontario residents can see what such an alternative might look like.