Climate change is occurring…

Climate change is occurring. We are witnessing weather and environmental changes that can only be attributed to climate change. It is our obligation for this and future generations to mitigate its effects and undertake adaptation actions as rapidly as possible.

We are wasting time while our new government tears down the work of the previous government. The cap and trade program was providing the resources to mitigate climate change and targeting the carbon polluters, incenting behaviour to reduce carbon pollution. The program was supporting many projects important to our municipalities including transit and energy efficiency in public buildings. With projects cancelled, needed investments will not be occurring and cost savings will not be realized. Further, carbon pollution will not be reduced.

The cap and trade program has incorrectly been referred to as a tax - it was anything but. I object to our government misleading the public with incorrect information.

Our government needs a climate change plan. We have one and I see no reason to spend scare public resources on redoing a perfectly good system; no less spending more resources on the compensation that will inevitably be required for the credits that have already been purchased or challenging the federal government’s right to ensure Canadians are protected from climate change.

For a government that claims to be looking to save taxpayers money, the attack on a climate change program that brought billions of dollars to the Ontario economy and supported so many needed public projects doesn't make sense.

The government has not factored in any of the costs to Ontarian's for not taking meaningful action on climate change. The costs to business and individuals are rising and will continue to do so.

Rebates and other energy savings supported by the program help my save my hard earned money, a lot more than a 10 cent per litre difference in gas at the pumps. It's a win-win in that I save money; jobs were created; and I reduce my reliance on fossil fuels. A 10 cent savings at the pumps will not have the same effect.

Adapting to climate change is the next great disrupter that will drive innovation for the next decades. With innovation comes jobs and growth.

I encourage the government to put aside its philosophical differences with the previous government and do what’s best for Ontario is helping us mitigate and adapt to our new climate reality. We have already delayed action by a quarter of a year and while we wait for some new plan it will be a half a year of inaction that we can ill afford to wait for.