I commented on electricity…

I commented on electricity before. Now I wish to make comments on fossil fuels. We must stop producing greenhouse gases as quickly as possible, which means phasing out fossil fuels.

- Most importantly: Return carbon tax revenues to the taxpayer. Carbon pricing is the most important tool for reducing greenhouse gases and it must be implemented with the approval of the electorate to be successful. I am disappointed that Ontario has opted for cap and trade, which is far more cumbersome than carbon taxes. But that choice has been made. Now it is crucial to ensure that this is not just another tax grab. The government must follow B.C.'s lead in returning ALL revenue from carbon pricing to the citizens of Ontario. If the cap and trade is not revenue neutral, you will inspire a tsunami of resentment, and hand ammunition to the climate-change deniers who will use the carbon tax to stir up anger about any measures to reduce greenhouse gases. Keeping the revenue in government hands will be counterproductive in the end. It will backfire, and future governments will undo all the good that carbon pricing does. In the long run Ontario will contribute more to global warming rather than doing its part to reduce its impact. So you must make this program revenue neutral.

- I commend the government for closing the coal-fired electricity generation in Ontario.

- Reducing oil usage in the transportation sector should be the next priority. Measures like a tax on usage on high-traffic roads like the Gardiner Expressway make sense. The fuel efficiency standards of new vehicles need to be made more stringent.

- Expand public transportation, encourage municipalities to convert their bus fleets to biofuels or electricity.

- Encourage home efficiencies, bring back rebate programs for insulation, furnace replacement, heat pumps and other efficiencies. A person I talked with today said she has electric forced air heating and she pays $1000 per month on average. People like her need a program to help them convert to something more efficient. On this note, municipal production of heat from cogeneration and waste is a great idea which the province should be encouraging.

[Original Comment ID: 207203]