I am opposed to this…

I am opposed to this proposal for expansion and reduced regulation of Ontario’s forest biomass industry.

One of the main products of that industry is wood pellets. Wood pellets are marketed as a clean energy alternative, are in fact dirtier than coal at the smokestack.

The Ontario government claims that expanding the wood pellet industry will provide alternative employment for fossil fuel workers, but these would be jobs in an industry that dumps more carbon into the atmosphere than what it's replacing.

Increasing deforestation as a climate solution is not viable. In the current climate crisis, we simply can’t afford to keep chopping down forests to make a fuel that emits immense amounts of carbon dioxide. It can take centuries for forests to regain the majority of their carbon storage after being logged.

For these reasons, I am opposed to this proposal for expansion and reduced regulation of Ontario’s forest biomass industry.