As Ontario’s environmental…

As Ontario’s environmental watchdog has warned, “Dismantling a climate change law that was working is bad for our environment, bad for our health, and bad for business... A meaningful climate law needs science-based emissions budgets, a legal obligation to stay within those budgets, and credible, transparent progress reporting. Ontario can still choose sensible solutions that help families make ends meet while bringing climate pollution down. Polluter-pay tools, for example, give people more choice and a fair reward for reducing their emissions, and can help reduce other taxes they pay.”

In addition, by dismantling Ontario's climate change law, bill 4 will result in imposition of a carbon tax by the federal government, in order to ensure that Canada meets its international climate obligations. While a carbon tax is more transparent than the cap and trade scheme it would replace, the change will be expensive and creates uncertainty for Ontario business.