Summary Bill 4 fails to…

To the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks,

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this important consultation on the future of Ontario’s climate plan.

Doug Ford was elected without a clear platform. Ontarian's therefore do not necessarily agree to this policy cancellation because they were not aware that this was even part of his platform to begin with. This change to the Cap and Trade policy was not transparent, and will nullify years of hard work by the previous governments of Ontario and hard working citizens, costing Ontarians money. Additionally there is no proposed back up plan to otherwise mitigate carbon emissions by the government of Ontario. In fact subsequent legal action against the Federal Government, as is planned by Doug Ford in 2019, will waste more taxpayer money. Citizens should have a chance to vote in a referendum on this change in policy. Additionally, prior to any referendum citizens should be provided with a transparent, audited assessment of the specific costs of any litigation against the Federal government and cancellation of the policy, compared to the perceived costs of the Cap and Trade policy to citizens and businesses in Ontario. This assessment should span the next 5+ years in Ontario and take into account how much money it took to develop the policy in the first place. The government cannot assume that citizens support this change simply because they voted conservative for premier this year.

Ontario is home to the single largest reservoir of freshwater in the entire world: the great lakes. As such our Ontario government should work to protect our environment, which includes airborne emissions, as a matter of global necessity. This type of resource is uncommon on planet Earth, and can absolutely be valuable for industries, but only if utilized in a protected, sustainable, and thoughtful way so that businesses can continue to be profitable in the future. The current policy is not sustainable.

In fact Green jobs have the potential to stimulate the economy in Ontario and abroad, drawing industry to Ontario, preserving our job stability and future. Green economy is a draw for proactive consumers and even foreign governments and the UN looking to the future for examples of sustainability.

Please refer to the attached links to learn about the UN program for sustainable development goals, made with the entire world population in mind. If this is the way the world is moving, then the cost of a cancellation of the Cap and Trade policy in Ontario will cost citizens double when we have to re-implement the policy sometime in the future. Here are some key things to note from their website:

"Sustainable development has been defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainable development calls for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet.
For sustainable development to be achieved, it is crucial to harmonize three core elements: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. These elements are interconnected and all are crucial for the well-being of individuals and societies.
Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions is an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. To this end, there must be promotion of sustainable, inclusive and equitable economic growth, creating greater opportunities for all, reducing inequalities, raising basic standards of living, fostering equitable social development and inclusion, and promoting integrated and sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems."

These are some key goals Doug Ford's policy seeks to undermine:
Goal #7 Affordable and Clean Energy
Goal #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal #13 Climate Action
Goal #16 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions
Achieving all of these goals in Ontario is key to remaining a successful, productive and a value-add member of the globe. This is key to citizens having pride in their home province of Ontario and remaining here to work and invest.
Citizens of Ontario demand a transparent solution to all of these goals, should Doug Ford continue to pursue this policy change. Or they demand further consultations on how the current administration should proceed in achieving these goals.

"Climate change is already impacting public health, food and water security, migration, peace and security. Climate change, left unchecked, will roll back the development gains we have made over the last decades and will make further gains impossible.
Investments in sustainable development will help address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building climate resilience.
Conversely, action on climate change will drive sustainable development.
Tackling climate change and fostering sustainable development are two mutually reinforcing sides of the same coin; sustainable development cannot be achieved without climate action. Conversely, many of the SDGs (sustainable development goals) are addressing the core drivers of climate change."

In our national anthem it states: "Oh Canada, WE STAND ON GUARD FOR THEE". It is now time for us to actually do so, to protect this land, air and water, by capping the emissions of big polluters and incentivizing productive, safe and sustainable big-business in Ontario.

Best regards,
Concerned Citizen