16 October (TORONTO) In response to Ontario’s Financial Accountability Officer’s report saying that cancelling cap-and-trade will cost the province $3 billion, Greenpeace Canada senior energy strategist Keith Stewart said:
“The report provides an honest accounting of Doug Ford’s $3 billion boondoggle that is bad for the budget and worse for our environment. Rather than spending another $30 million on a lawsuit to try to block federal action on climate change, the Premier should focus on how he can create good, green jobs that position Ontario to thrive in the new low-carbon economy.”
The Ford government introduced a regulation and legislation in July to cancel Ontario’s cap-and-trade program, and the province’s carbon reduction targets. Greenpeace, represented by lawyer from Ecojustice, took the Ford government to court in September.
The lawsuit alleges that the Ford government unlawfully failed to provide for public consultation on a regulation that ended Ontario’s cap-and-trade program and on Bill 4, the Cap and Trade Cancellation Act, 2018, currently before the legislature. The case also asks the Court to quash the regulation.
Hours after the lawsuit was filed, the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks posted a notice on the Environmental Registry of Ontario providing for a 30-day public consultation period for Bill 4, Cap and Trade Cancellation Act, 2018.
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For more information, contact:
Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist at Greenpeace Canada, is available for comment. To arrange an interview, please contact Steve Cornwell, 519-418-0071, [email protected]
