Ontario Announces Climate Change Mitigation And Low Carbon Economy Act And The Cap-And-Trade Program Regulations

The Ontario government (Government) has taken significant steps in its fight against climate change by introducing two significant pieces of climate change legislation:

1. ​The Climate Change Mitigation and Low Carbon Economy Act (Act) on February 24, 2016 
2. The Cap and Trade Program Regulations (Regulations) on February 25, 2016

BACKGROUND

On April 15, 2015, the Government signed an agreement with Quebec to create a joint cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For further background on the proposed cap-and-trade scheme, please see our April 2015 Blakes Bulletin: Ontario to Adopt Cap-and-Trade System, Joining Quebec and California Carbon Market and our November 2015 Blakes Bulletin: Ontario Government Consulting on Proposed Design of the New Cap-and-Trade Program.