Like many of us, Citizen’s Climate Lobby is concerned about the environment. But unlike most of us, CCL members are pushing for carbon pricing (specifically carbon fee and divided) to combat climate change.
During this provincial election, the CCL reached out to Sudbury and Nickel Belt candidates to find out where they stand on climate change and how to fight it. The Liberal Party, NDP and the Green Party responded to the survey. The Conservatives did not.
Sudbury.com is printing the survey answers in their entirety, broken down by party.
Ontario Green Party
Which specific carbon pricing policy does your party favour? Please highlight the policy’s major features.
The Green Party believes that a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend system is the most effective and fair carbon pricing policy. Under a carbon fee-and-dividend approach, a fee is levied at source on all goods and services that result in greenhouse gas pollution. This is returned directly to citizens as a dividend in the form of a cheque. The plan rewards people for reducing their carbon footprint. Most households – particularly those with modest to low incomes who generally consume less – will gain a net financial benefit from a carbon fee and dividend policy. A carbon fee and dividend is the simplest, most effective and fairest policy to price carbon pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
What is your party’s position to protecting those most vulnerable from rising commodity prices as the carbon price rises?
We also support returning all carbon price revenues to the people of Ontario through a regular dividend cheque. The fairest way to do this is through a carbon dividend – a cheque that returns revenue directly to the people of Ontario. Most households–particularly those with modest to low incomes who generally consume less–will gain a net financial benefit from a carbon fee and dividend policy.
Transitioning off fossil fuels will require ending all fossil fuel subsidies. In Ontario, fossil fuel subsidies are estimated at $600 million. Does your party agree to end fossil fuel subsidies in Ontario? If so, which ones and by when will your party end these subsidies?
End all fossil fuel subsidies by 2022 including: Reduced Tax Rate for Aviation Fuel, the Fuel Tax Exemption for Coloured Fuel, the Fuel Tax Reduction for Railway Diesel, Gasoline Tax Exemption for Methanol and Natural Gas, Gasoline Tax Reduction for Propane, Diesel Tax Refund for Auxiliary Equipment and Gasoline Tax Refund for Unlicensed Equipment.
What are your party’s GHG targets for 2020 and 2030? Will your party’s carbon price continue to rise past 2022?
We support a plan to set, review and report on five-year targets to reduce fossil fuel consumption to put Ontario on a path to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Yes. We support a strong floor price with predictable increases.
What is your party’s position on industry and business free allocations from the cap and trade program?
We are opposed to the free pollution permits that have been offered by the current government to the largest 150 polluters. Free pollution permits should be available only to a small number of, especially vulnerable sectors. As well, any free allowances should be transitional and temporary so that everyone pays their fair share for the pollution that they create. We must learn from the experience of others: industry exemptions and free permits have weakened the effectiveness of the European Union cap and trade system. Allocating far fewer free permits would send a strong price signal and create more demand for low-carbon innovation.
Carbon pricing policies must be harmonized inter-provincially, territorially, nationally and finally, internationally. Border Tax Adjustments (BTAs) can be implemented by the Federal Government to protect Canadian industries from countries that currently do not have similar carbon pricing policies. What is your party’s position on the federal government using BTAs especially as the carbon price rises?
Border carbon adjustments are a useful tool to address competitiveness concerns and leakage risks. Since subnational governments like Ontario have limited legal authority to implement border carbon adjustments, we will work with the federal government to explore these mechanisms. The effective use of border carbon adjustments may eliminate the need to issue any free pollution permits.
What is your party’s approach to reducing methane emissions?
The Green Party of Ontario supports regulations to reduce methane emissions.
What is your party’s position on fracking?
The Green Party of Ontario is in favour of an immediate and indefinite ban on fracking in order to prioritize drinking water, public health, and climate stability.
Liberal Party of Ontario
Which specific carbon pricing policy does your party favour? Please highlight.
The Ontario Liberal Party supports cap and trade as a carbon pricing policy. In 2017, we implemented a “best-in-class” cap and trade carbon pricing system, according to the Environment Commissioner, joining Quebec and California in North America’s largest carbon market as of January 1st. Our plan guarantees reductions (in emissions) every year as the cap on pollution decreases, in line with our legally binding carbon reduction targets. Thus far, our carbon market has raised $2.4 B in proceeds.
What is your party’s position to protecting those most vulnerable from rising commodity prices as the carbon price rises?
The Ontario Liberal Party has committed to returning cap and trade revenues to Ontario citizens. In the past year, hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in projects like public transit, and energy-efficiency upgrades to social housing units, schools and hospitals in communities across Ontario. The Green Ontario Fund is helping families save money through selected rebates and incentives. Our Climate Change Action Plan is helping First Nations communities change from diesel and other fuels to more renewable sources of energy.
A variety of programs exist specifically to help low income customers save on their energy bills. We are furthering the integration of fares across multiple transit service providers to save people money, increase transit ridership and reduce congestion on our roads.
In Ontario, fossil fuel subsidies are estimated at $600 million. Does your party agree to end fossil fuel subsidies in Ontario? If so, which ones and by when will your party end these subsidies?
The Liberals are committed to reviewing and making recommendations regarding existing policies and programs that support fossil fuel use and fossil fuel intensive technologies.
What are your party’s GHG targets for 2020 and 2030? Will your party’s carbon price continue to rise past 2022?
The Ontario Liberal Party are on track to meet a 15% greenhouse gas reduction target in 2020. Our goals are still 37% reduction by 2030 and 80% reduction by 2050. We enshrined these greenhouse gas reduction targets into legislation, and designed our cap decline under our cap and trade system to meet these goals. Under the cap and trade system, the market, not the government, sets the carbon price. A minimum price is imposed as a floor, rising at approximately 5% per year, to provide some certainty and stability to the market.
What is your party’s position on exemptions/free allocations?
The Ontario Liberal Party supports the (temporary) use of transitional allowances, as industry transitions to lower carbon technologies while reducing greenhouse gas pollution. Transitional allowances help mitigate the threat of “carbon leakage”, which occurs when economic activity is shifted outside a jurisdiction that prices carbon, leading to lost jobs and no global reduction in carbon emissions. This policy will be reviewed prior to finalizing the post-2020 carbon market design.
Industry competitiveness: Carbon pricing policies must be harmonized inter-provincially, territorially, nationally and finally, internationally. Border Tax Adjustments (BTAs) can be implemented by the Federal Government to prevent carbon leakage and protect Canadian industries from countries that currently do not have similar carbon pricing policies.What is your party's position on the federal government using BTAs especially as the carbon price rises?
The Ontario Liberal Party supports the development of an ambitious Canada-wide framework, supported by federal investments that will achieve real greenhouse gas. It is imperative that we have a robust national framework in place as soon as possible that supports provincial-territorial actions to fight climate change, along with strong federal actions so that collectively we can meet our ambitious international obligations while protecting Canadian industries from carbon leakage.
What is your party’s approach to reducing methane emissions?
The Ontario Liberal Party supports reducing the emissions of all greenhouse gases, including methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. We support reductions in methane from all sources, including transportation and fossil fuel extraction, landfill, wastewater and other sources, through all mechanisms including regulations, best management practices and offsets. Ontario has recently finalized a compliance offset protocol for methane in mining as one method to reduce methane.
What is your party’s position on fracking?
The Ontario Liberal Party does not anticipate high-volume hydraulic fracking to occur in the province.
New Democratic Party
Which specific carbon pricing policy does your party favour? Please highlight the policy's major features.
The Ontario NDP has publicly supported cap-and-trade for over a decade. We are committed to improving Ontario’s cap-and-trade system to make it more fair, effective and transparent.
What is your party’s position to protecting those most vulnerable from rising commodity prices as the carbon price rises?
The Ontario NDP believes cap-and-trade revenues should 1) assist families and communities facing disproportionate burdens during the transition to a low-carbon economy, such as lower-income, rural and northern communities (the NDP would dedicate at least 25% of cap-and-trade revenues to this purpose), 2) provide for a “just transition” to a low-carbon economy for workers in high-carbon industries, and 3) fund programs to mitigate or adapt to impacts of climate change. During the debate on the cap and trade legislation, we proposed amendments to allow for direct cash rebates to low income, rural and northern families, and would implement such rebates if elected.
Does your party agree to end fossil fuel subsidies in Ontario? If so, which ones and by when will your party end these subsidies?
The NDP opposes subsidies aimed at encouraging the production of fossil fuels.
What are your party’s GHG targets for 2020 and 2030? Will your party’s carbon price continue to rise past 2022?
The Ontario NDP is committed to meeting Ontario’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and will continue to lower the cap on emissions. The Ontario NDP will review provincial targets to ensure the province can meet Canadian commitments made in the Paris Agreement. MPP Peter Tabuns introduced the Climate Change Mitigation and Low Carbon Economy Amendment Act 2016 which set out these targets. 1. A reduction of at least 15 per cent by the end of 2020. 2. A reduction of at least 45 per cent by the end of 2030. 3. A reduction of at least 80 per cent by the end of 2040.
What is your party’s position on free allocations to industry in the cap and trade program?
The Ontario NDP agrees that to be effective and maintain public support, the cap-and-trade system must not include unfair and arbitrary exceptions.
Industry competitiveness: Carbon pricing policies must be harmonized inter-provincially, territorially, nationally and finally, internationally. Border Tax Adjustments (BTAs) can be implemented by the Federal Government to prevent carbon leakage and protect Canadian industries from countries that currently do not have similar carbon pricing policies.What is your party's position on the federal government using BTAs especially as the carbon price rises?
The Ontario NDP shares these concerns about carbon leakage, and strongly agrees that domestic industries should not face unfair disadvantages when competing with industries in jurisdictions that do not put a price on carbon. We would support the federal government’s use of Border Tax Adjustments or other measures to ensure an even playing field for Canadian industries. We would implement cap and trade mechanisms for use as a BTA for Ontario, and proposed such amendments to the cap and trade legislation.
What is your party’s approach to reducing methane emissions?
The Ontario NDP supports the use of carbon pricing and regulations to reduce fugitive methane emissions.
What is your party’s position on fracking?
The Ontario NDP opposes fracking. NDP MPP Peter Tabuns tabled Bill 82 in 2015 to ban fracking in Ontario.
