We were never great fans of…

We were never great fans of the Cap and Trade program in Ontario, but were relieved that at least there was SOMETHING that would be in place to reduce carbon emissions. The book “The Case for Carbon Tax” by Shi-ling Hsu gives arguments for and against carbon tax, but states that regulation is NOT the best method for reducing emissions. How are we going to meet our emissions reductions targets, and how long will it take before we begin to see the effects of those regulations, if these regulations need to be considered for each major emitting sector of the economy? My thinking is that this repeal is totally disrespectful to all the people of the province who have worked hard to gather and work towards sustainability solutions for the province. It seems like all this work and cost was a monumental waste of time. What a disappointment. The best solution that would fit across the political spectrum would be a carbon fee and dividend type of carbon pricing. Give the money back to the people so they can offset their increased energy costs. Citizens’ Climate Lobby is advocating for this, Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission is advocating for this, and Canadians for Clean Prosperity are advocating for this. Even the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario is reporting that regulations do not go far enough. I cannot see any good reasons for the repeal of this act, except for partisanship reasons that do not serve Ontarians.