I am against the Ontario…

I am against the Ontario government's decision to scrap the cap and trade program and create a new plan for tackling climate change in Ontario. Please see my reasoning below:
- 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
- cap and trade was providing the resources to mitigate climate change and targeting the carbon polluters, incentivizing 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 scarce public resources on redoing a perfectly good system. We will end up spending more resources on the compensation that will inevitably be required for the credits that have already been purchased or for 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 is counterintuitive.
- the government has not factored in any of the costs to Ontarian's for not taking meaningful action on climate change. The costs to businesses and individuals are rising and will continue to do so.
- I own a vehicle and would rather spend 10 cents more per litre on gas than lose all we have gained from cap and trade, i.e. low carbon subsidies, jobs, a cleaner economy
- 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 by 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't afford to wait for.

Climate change is an inevitable disaster that will lead to unprecented damages and loss of many lives. If this government does not take action and continue to grow the existing cap and trade program, the blood is on YOUR hands. What kind of leader do you want to be?