Canada: Ontario Government Announces Green House Gas Targets

On Monday June 18, 2007, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced that Ontario will build on its efforts to address climate change by setting new targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the government's overall climate change plan. The targets for the next steps in the Ontario government's climate change plan are:

• A reduction of greenhouse gases to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2014, or 61 megatonnes.

• A reduction of greenhouse gases to 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, or 99 megatonnes.

• A reduction of greenhouse gases to 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.

To achieve its 2014 targets, the government will close Ontario's coal plants and carry out its existing policies, which would account for more than 50 per cent of all targets. An additional 15 per cent will come from transit investments and working on initiatives with the federal government and other partners, which will include setting strong, national fuel-efficiency and auto emissions standards.

Another 15 per cent will result from policies recently announced and those that will be announced over the next three months in Ontario, including rebates of $150 for home energy audits and The Municipal Eco Challenge Fund, a three year $220 million loan and grant program for municipalities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The remaining portion will come from research and innovation into new technologies which would address climate change and strengthen the economy.

The Ontario government will use a similar approach to meet its targets for 2020 and 2050, that is create a range of programs across industrial and commercial sectors that are designed to reduce green house gas emissions.

Measures are also being developed that will attempt to ensure transparency and accountability to Ontario’s citizens, as the government develops its climate change targets. This will include a report back to Ontarians every year in the legislature and an independent review by the Environment Commissioner on the government's progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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