Dear Mr. Ford and the…

Dear Mr. Ford and the Ontario Conservative Government,

I strongly oppose Bill 4 Cancellation of Cap and Trade. I shocked by this governments actions to do so in light of the significant costs that climate change already poses on tax payers and the continued rise we will see as a result of inaction (or lack of effective action).

The Impacts of climate change are influencing us daily. We are witnessing weather and environmental changes that can only be attributed to climate change. It is our obligation for this and future generations to mitigate its effects and undertake adaptation actions as rapidly as possible. We can not waste time while this government settles on a strategy that is ineffective and action that will not protect our Province.

Cap and trade was providing the resources to mitigate climate change and targeting the carbon polluters, incentivizing behaviour to reduce carbon pollution. This government has stated in their platform that the program was supporting many projects important to our municipalities including transit and energy efficiency in public buildings. With projects cancelled, needed investments will not be occurring and cost savings will not be realized. Further, carbon pollution will not be reduced.

The cap and trade program has incorrectly been referred to as a tax - it was anything but. I object to our government misleading the public with incorrect information.

The current plan has been developed with consensus and is similar to affective programs in place (i.e. California, Quebec). To spend scare public resources on redoing a perfectly good system is wasteful. It is also extremely wasteful to put Ontario in a position to spend more resources on the compensation that will inevitably be required for the credits that have already been purchased and for challenging the federal government’s right to ensure Canadians are protected from climate change.

For a government that claims to be looking to save taxpayers money, you are being short sighted in the long term costs of climate change and the billions of dollars to the Ontario economy that the program has already injected.

The government has not factored in any of the costs to Ontarian's for not taking meaningful action on climate change. The costs to business and individuals are rising and will continue to do so.

I received a rebate on a energy saving that was supported by the cap and trade program. I am saving more of my hard earned money with the savings in energy more than a 10 cent per litre difference in gas at the pumps (which mind you is contributing to making the situation worse). It was a win-win in that I save money; jobs were created; and I reduce my reliance on fossil fuels.

Adapting the climate change is the next great disrupter that will drive innovation for the next decades. With innovation comes jobs and growth. You are sending Ontario on a path from which we will not be able to come back from.

I encourage the government to put aside its philosophical differences with the previous government and do what’s best for Ontario. Please, I beg, help us mitigate and adapt to our new climate reality. We have already delayed action by a quarter of a year and while we wait for some new plan it will be a half a year of inaction that we can ill afford to wait for.

Please, if you read nothing else I have written, please understand that history will not look kindly upon you for passing Bill 4.