We are writing to you regarding Bill 200, The Ontario Climate Change Act, 2006, a private member's bill originally authored and introduced by Mr.Tabuns, and subsequently re-introduced Mr. Bisson. The bill passed second reading on April 12, 2007, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Justice.
Given the significance of the implications of global climate change for Ontario residents, we believe that it is crucial that the Standing Committee call the bill forward for consideration immediately.
The bill’s purpose is to ensure that Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions are reduced in proportion to Canada’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol by 2012.
In particular, the bill would set overall targets essential to an effective climate change strategy for Ontario, mandate the minister of the environment to prepare a plan for the achievement of these targets, require annual reporting on progress towards the targets by the government, and require the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario to provide an annual review of the adequacy of the progress towards the achievement of the targets. Finally, the bill would empower the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations relating to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
We believe that the bill provides the foundation for an overall framework for the achievement of significant contributions to the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere by Ontario.
We also note that the bill parallels many of the provision C-288, The Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, 2007, a private member’s bill adopted by the House of Commons in February 2007, and currently under consideration by the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources.
We would be pleased to respond to any questions that you or your staff may have regarding this matter.
Rick Smith
Executive Director, Environmental Defence Canada
Mark Winfield
Director, Environmental Governance The Pembina Institute
Derek Stack
Executive Director, Great Lakes United
Ken Ogilvie
Executive Director, Pollution Probe
Jack Gibbons
Chair, Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Dan McDermott
Executive Director, Sierra Club of Canada – Ontario Chapter
Bea Olivastri
Executive Director, Friends of the Earth Canada
Ramani Nadarajah
Executive Director, Canadian Environmental Law Association
Carolyn Schultz
Executive Director Ontario Nature
Franz Hartmann
Executive Director, Toronto Environmental Alliance
Julia Langer
Director-Global Threats WWF-Canada
