It is essential that Ontario…

It is essential that Ontario place a price on pollution and return the revenues to the people of Ontario by direct methods and indirect methods such as retrofit programs. Ontario must not take a step backward in ignoring the necessity of a green energy economy by moving backward on the proper pricing of pollution.

Bill 4 is a disservice to the future of the people of Ontario. Scuttling the established climate plan with no replacement shows to investors that Ontario is not serious about future economic opportunities and will leave all of us in a poor position to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

The government must, if repealing the cap and trade system, replace it with a revenue neutral pollution tax that properly prices the future damage it will cause. Not doing so provides a free-ride to polluters and is antithetical to the even competition a healthy economy demands.

It must also, if choosing to continue with the ending of green energy retrofit subsidies, end any and all fossil fuel subsidies or tax exemptions in the spirit of free and open competition.