Liberals must fix flaws in their climate change plan

Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner issued the following statement in response to the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario’s 2016 Annual GHG Progress Report – Facing Climate Change: 

(Queen’s Park): Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner has raised serious concerns about the Liberal government’s climate change plan.

I’m especially worried that the Liberal’s are using cap and trade proceeds to further their political self-interest. According to the ECO, there is no evidence that the Liberal’s billion dollar electricity subsidy, funded by cap and trade revenue, will reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

This misuse of funds is exactly why the Green Party is calling for a progressive revenue neutral carbon fee and dividend program. A carbon fee and dividend will put a transparent price on GHG pollution while returning funds directly to citizens so people can afford to make investments in reducing their carbon footprint.

I’m pleased the government has answered our call for a price on carbon pollution. But the Liberals should implement the more effective fee and dividend policy, or immediately fix flaws in their cap and trade program.

I call on the Liberals to develop clear, transparent and verifiable rules for cap and trade accountability to avoid undermining climate action. And I continue to call on the government to reverse their policy of giving big corporations free permits to pollute.

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