Ontario court challenge targets feds’ carbon tax

Ontario is launching a legal battle against the federal government over its carbon tax plan, a costly move critics say has little chance of succeeding.

Environment Minister Rod Phillips and Attorney General Caroline Mulroney made the announcement Thursday, saying they received a clear mandate during the spring election to fight the federal tax for provinces that don’t have their own carbon pricing system.

Mulroney would not say whether she thought the province could win but denied the legal challenge was simply a gesture meant to appease Progressive Conservative supporters.

“It’s not symbolic for the people of Ontario who want us to do everything that we can to stop the federal Liberals from imposing this tax on them ... it’s what we were elected to do,” she said.

The ministers said the constitutional challenge is in addition to Premier Doug Ford’s decision to join a similar legal battle launched by Saskatchewan. Asked whether the province was spending money on duplicate efforts, Phillips said he believes Ontario’s arguments would be slightly different from its Prairie peer’s.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, meanwhile, said in a statement Thursday that his government would “strongly consider” joining Ontario’s challenge.

Ford vowed to fight Ottawa’s carbon pricing plan and eliminate Ontario’s cap-and-trade system during the spring election campaign. His government has since introduced legislation to scrap cap and trade and cancel programs financed through its revenues, which include rebates for energy-efficient renovations, transit projects and a fund for school repairs.