Global Climate Breakdown is…

Global Climate Breakdown is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events around the world, including heatwaves and droughts, large storms and floods, as well as wildfires and air/climate pollution that is resulting in mass human migrations and significant damage to the global economy, including Canadians personal wealth and standard of living!

Canada is one of the 10 countries most responsible for causing climate change. As the world’s fourth-largest producer of oil, fifth-largest producer of natural gas, and home to the third-largest oil reserve in the world, Canada not only has an obligation to take meaningful climate action, but we also have an opportunity to make a significant contribution to avoiding the worst global climate disasters.

As Canada’s 2nd largest GHG emitter, Ontario must make reducing climate pollution a priority!

Climate breakdown and climate inaction is rapidly increasing the cost of living as extreme weather events and climate pollution result in a rise of property damage, crop failures, and supply chain issues around the world, as well as increased hospital visits and healthcare services here at home.
• Cost of Insurance (Climate Change’s ‘canary in the coalmine’) - 2024 was Canada’s costliest for weather disasters, nearly three-times the previous year’s total and more than ten-times the annual average from 2001–2010.
• Cost of Food – The price of many commodities in Ontario (ex. coffee, beef, nuts/seeds, orange juice, and chocolate) have increased due to climate breakdown: abnormal weather conditions (droughts, high temperatures, extreme storms, and abnormal frosts) as well as wildfires resulting in smaller yields (including Alberta).
• Cost of Healthcare – Climate and air pollution are driving an increase in the number of incidences of cardiovascular and respiratory disease, cancer and Lyme disease.
• As per the Canadian Climate Institute, “Climate change is a serious and growing drag on Canada’s economy and a major financial burden on households in Canada.”
• As per the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation & Development): Taking strong action to tackle the climate crisis will increase countries’ economic growth. By contrast, if the climate crisis continues to worsen, the resulting contraction would be the equivalent of a serious recession occurring every year.
• According to a Stanford University study, Canada’s cumulative greenhouse gas emissions caused global economic losses of 1.3 trillion US dollars between 1990 and 2020. Canada sustained losses of $130 billion US dollars from global emissions, including $3.1 billion usd from Canada’s own climate pollution.

That is the cost of climate inaction / So, what we need to do… Is listen to the experts:
• The Paris Accord objectives include a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 (relative to a 1990 baseline). Since Ontario phased out coal, emissions have dropped, however, they are expected to rise due to an increase in gas-plant and gas-heated building emissions!
o 1990 provincial emissions = approximately 178 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent
o 2022 provincial emissions = approximately 157 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent
o Projections for 2030 provincial emissions are between 145-150 Mt of C02 equivalent: Less than a 20% reduction from 1990.

Building Emissions account for about a quarter of Ontario’s total. The easiest, fastest and most effective way of reducing GHG emissions in Ontario is by heating buildings without fossil fuels. The Province could reduce GHGs and help make life more affordable for Ontarians by promoting, not restricting Green Development Standards – Bill 98 would follow the ill-advised path of Bills 165, 17 and 60, resulting in an ever-increasing rise of GHG emissions along with the cost of living in Ontario!

With the climate changing and energy demands increasing, cities and municipalities need the ability to improve energy efficiency and regulate other green requirements for new builds. Many Ontario municipalities are currently spending millions of taxpayer dollars to retrofit public buildings and incentivize companies and homeowners to do the same. Bill 98 will dramatically increase the backlog of buildings requiring efficiency and carbon reducing upgrades. Retrofitting existing buildings to both lower emissions and withstand some of the symptoms of climate change is estimated to be about 50% more expensive than building green from the start. As a result, Bill 98 will undoubtedly increase the drain on Ontario taxpayers’ wallets.

Continuing to shift administrative and financial burdens associated with sustainability measures and environmental consequences, from developers to municipalities is unacceptable. Let’s do it right the first time – Ontarians don’t have the time or the money to be in constant ‘catch-up and fix later’ mode.

Finally, there is no evidence to suggest that Green Development Standards are slowing housing builds. However, there is evidence that GDS’ can make life more affordable while reducing Ontario building’s runaway GHG emissions while creating more jobs in Ontario.

If Ontario has any hopes of reducing emissions, costs and our dependency on American fuels, the province must be encouraging, not hindering steps to allow for the construction of greener housing/buildings. Please kill (or drastically repeal) Bill 98!

A better direction for the province would be to upgrade the outdated Ontario Building Code to ensure it is built on a foundation of Green Development Standards that protect Ontarians from climate breakdown and the increased costs of living that come with it!