As an Ontario citizen who is…

As an Ontario citizen who is concerned about the long-term impacts of climate change, and the irreversible consequences of failing to mitigate excessive Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, I am appalled that this government believes it is a good idea to cancel the Cap-and-Trade program that had been implemented bu the previous government.

The province needs a robust, and thorough response to the issue of climate change adaptation, specifically addressing the carbon emissions throughout the province. The preamble of the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-Carbon Economy Act, 2016 states:

"Enabled and supported by the cap and trade program and related actions, the Government of Ontario envisions, by 2050, a thriving society generating fewer or zero greenhouse gas emissions. Businesses and innovators will be creating world-leading low-carbon technologies and products that drive new economic growth, productivity and job creation. Ontarians will live, work and travel in sustainable ways in healthier and more liveable communities."

This Act provided a robust system for controlling carbon emissions, with a clear vision of drastically reducing the province's emissions while capitalizing on the control of these emissions by the year 2050. By not only mis-labelling the cap-and-trade program as a "carbon tax", but also repealing this Act altogether, indicates that the current government does not take the issue of climate change seriously. There is no clear replacement plan or program in place with Bill 4, which means that Ontario would need to adopt the carbon-pricing program set up by the Federal Government, which in my opinion, is inferior to the carbon Cap-and-Trade program set up through the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-Carbon Economy Act, 2016.

The passing of Bill 4 is an indication that this current government does not care about the future generations of this province or this country, and that's priority is profits before the public. Carbon action needs to take place now, and the repealing of the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-Carbon Economy Act, 2016 is a backwards step for Ontario in the reduction of GHGs for the present and future.

This current government is acting recklessly by seeking to repeal this Act, and I am upset that the province is being governed by a party that does not take climate mitigation seriously, and refuses to see the importance of protecting air quality and reducing GHGs from being emitted into the atmosphere.

I sincerely believe that Bill 4 should not be passed, and that the current legislation for carbon pricing in Ontario should be maintained. It provides a clear mechanism for not only controlling how much total carbon is emitted by industries, but it also allows the province to generate revenue from climate change mitigation.

Do the right thing, and uphold the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-Carbon Economy Act, 2016.