Ontario Announces Climate Change Strategy

The Ontario government announced its new climate change strategy on November 24, 2015. This announcement was one of several from the government over the last few weeks relating to climate change in the lead up to the Paris 2015 UN Conference on Climate Change.

Last week, the MOECC released design options for the pending cap and trade program for public comment. On November 23, 2015, the legislature passed the Ending Coal for Cleaner Air Act, 2015. This act prevents new and existing facilities from burning coal for the sole purpose of generating electricity. The last coal-fired power plant in Ontario closed in 2014 and has since been converted to burn advanced biomass.

Carbon pricing and low-carbon energy generation are key components of Ontario's climate change strategy. The strategy sets out Ontario's long-term plan to achieve a GHG reduction target of 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.