I am writing this as an…

I am writing this as an engineer working in the field of stormwater management, and a concerned citizen and business owner in the province of Ontario.

I am against the government abandoning the cap and trade legislation. The previous government's policy was well thought through, and also allowed us to easily comply with the forthcoming federal legislation on carbon pricing.

We need world leaders that are willing to take strong and committed action on climate change. Mitigation and adaptation are both imperative actions that our governments should be taking. Our world is warming at an alarming rate, and it will have huge impacts globally and locally. In Toronto, we can expect extreme weather events to be more frequent and extreme, which combined with aging infrastructure, will lead to more regular flooding in the City.

The federal government will require that provinces implement carbon pricing. I know that the premier has previously stated that he wants to take the federal government to court over this. That would be quite an expensive endeavour, and is not likely to be successful. Instead of fighting with the federal government, stick with the existing plan for cap and trade.

In closing, for the future of our province, and to take real action to mitigate climate change, I urge the government to not cancel the cap and trade legislation. And if they do, they need to replace it with some kind of carbon pricing ASAP.