Bill 138: Ending Coal for Cleaner Air Act, 2013

The Ontario government has introduced Bill 138, Ending Coal for Cleaner Air Act, 2013,  to confirm their longstanding decision to end the use of coal at Ontario's electricity generating facilities and to prohibit new stand-alone coal-fired generating facilities.  Comments are due January 9.

Coal-fired electricity generating facilities are major sources of air pollution.

Emissions from these facilities include: oxides of nitrogen (NOx); sulphur oxides (SOx); particulate matter (PM); and a variety of toxic pollutants (e.g., mercury). These emissions are associated with major health impacts (e.g., premature death, increased hospital emissions for patients with asthma and chronic lung disease) as well as environmental impacts (e.g., buildings, crops and ecosystems).Coal-fired electricity generating facilities are also large emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs) which contribute to global climate change.