Putting a price on carbon…

Putting a price on carbon was working in Ontario. Just one of our 4 annual carbon credit auctions generated $400+ million in revenues mandated for spending only on GHG emission reducing projects, such as EV vehicle subsidies, EV charging infrastructure to reduce range anxiety and increase EV uptake, as well as home energy efficiency programs and incentives to save GHGs and operational expenses. No industry battle cry was heard, capped emitters complied, and Ontario was abuzz with green industry and innovation. A voluntary carbon market was being discussed that could have opened up Ontario's carbon market even further with the creation of revenue streams for anyone (FN communities, governments, farmers, NGOs) creating carbon sinks using our vast land resources in Ontario.

But in June, when Doug Ford’s government scrapped it all they killed that spirit of innovation and put all that program planning and taxpayer investment to waste, they also ruined Ontario's reputation as a climate change leader, and shirked Ontarians' responsibility as global citizens to reduce our GHG emissions for sake of our own wellbeing and survival, and that of future generations. They sent a message to people that they can keep pumping fossil fuels into our atmosphere with no consequence, when in fact the consequences are enormous. Just look at the costs individual homeowners, businesses and governments have had to bare in property damages already as a result of extreme weather due to anthropogenic climate change! Any government that says they work for the people and yet are complicit in increasing the cost burdens of climate change are lying to people. I have asthma and I can actually feel how bad the air quality is getting in the city with all the cars and the traffic, I breath more shallowly on bad air days as there is less oxygen in the air. Doesn't the current Ontario government know that just the cost of asthma medicine for one year and the stress of not being able to breath, will far outweigh any money I or other sufferers might save on gas?!

Our health and our planet are priceless and all that matters really, and it is a violation of human rights to not act to mitigate and adapt to climate change as quickly as possible. Ontario's Cap and Trade Act and Climate Change Action Plan were groundbreaking pieces of legislation for the Province developed through fulsome public and expert consultations and to lay all that good work to waste is criminal.

I call on the current government of Ontario to cancel the Cap and Trade Cancellation Act, to give Ontarians back the carbon market we paid for, and to restore the air we breath.