On September 25, 2018, Dr. Dianne Saxe, the Environmental
Commissioner of Ontario (the
"Commissioner") released the 2018
Greenhouse Gas Progress Report, Climate Action in Ontario: What's
Next? (the "Progress Report")
to the Ontario Legislature. In the Progress Report, the
Commissioner recommends that Ontario implement a strong new climate
law to replace the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-carbon
Economy Act, 2016 (the "Cap and Trade
Program") that is to be repealed by Bill 4, Cap
and Trade Cancellation Act, 2018 (the "Proposed
Act").1
The Progress Report recognizes that the Cap and Trade Program was a
catalyst for meaningful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions
and was on track to produce many economic and environmental
benefits. It also notes that Ontario's climate leadership was
enhancing Ontario's reputation and attracting foreign
investment to Ontario's clean technology sector; a sector that
in 2017 included 5,000 companies with 130,000 employees,
