The best market-based way to…

The best market-based way to reduce greenhouse gases is a price on carbon, either a direct tax or a cap-and-trade system. In both cases, the government can return the income it earns to the people, so it is not a “tax grab”. And the whole point is for businesses and individuals to take steps to reduce their carbon emissions so they don’t have to pay it. Ontario's Cap and Trade system, linked with Quebec and California, has brought about $3 billion into our province in its first 1 1/2 years and was paying for actions that further reduce greenhouse gas emissions - like upgrades to buildings, rebates for electric cars, and incentives for innovation. Eliminating the Cap & Trade program has already had a negative impact on the economy in the form of the loss of local contractor jobs supported by home energy retrofit programs.

We must act NOW to reduce greenhouse gases, to avoid runaway, catastrophic climate change. If we act now, we will benefit economically, transforming the economy and creating green, stable jobs. We should be leading the way in Ontario.