Ford moves to dismantle green programs
Cap-and-trade ‘party’ ending, premier says
TORONTO • Ontario’s new premier has taken a step in his plan to dismantle the province’s cap-and-trade system, a move some observers say leaves businesses involved in the program grappling with uncertainty.
In a statement released Tuesday, Doug Ford said he has revoked the regulation that outlines the carbon pricing system and his government will begin winding down all green programs funded through it this week.
Ford said the province will honour contracts and orders that have already been signed for projects funded by cap-and-trade, such as energy efficient insulation and window retrofits.
Some rebates for energy efficient renovations that were financed through capand-trade revenues — such as the GreenON rebate program — were already being phased out before Ford officially took office last week.
The premier said the government will decide on a case-by-case basis whether some initiatives previously funded by the program will be paid for using tax revenue. Those decisions will take into account his overall plan for the province and the results of an upcoming audit of government spending, he said.
The Progressive Conservative leader, who was officially sworn in as premier Friday, had promised that cancelling cap-and-trade would be his first order of business.
In order to scrap the program, the premier must first amend or rescind legislation that governs it, said Keith Brooks, program director for the advocacy group Environmental Defence.
That law sets climate change targets and earmarks cap-and-trade revenues for green initiatives, among other things, he said.
The NDP and the Greens say Ford’s rush to pull out of the cap-and-trade system could stick taxpayers with the tab for billions in legal fees, penalties and other costs.
Ford’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday, but the premier said in the statement he believes scrapping cap-and-trade will put money back in Ontarians’ pockets.
“I promised that the party with taxpayers’ dollars was over and that this would include scrapping the cap-andtrade carbon tax slush fund. Today we are keeping that promise,” he said.