Ford’s favour to big polluters to cost the people of Ontario billions

The people of Ontario will have to shell out an extra $3 billion over four years because of Doug Ford’s favour to big polluters: cancelling cap and trade.

“Doug Ford is hurting Ontario’s environment, and he’s charging all Ontarians extra to do it,” said the NDP’s Energy and Climate Change critic, Peter Tabuns.

“The direct result of Ford’s favour to big polluters will be $3 billion in costs piled onto the backs of the people of Ontario. That means ripping $3 billion right out of folks’ bank accounts, or cutting $3 billion from things like health care.”

The true cost of Ford’s move was revealed by the independent Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario in a report released Tuesday morning.

The federal government, by law, will impose a carbon tax on any province that doesn’t have a climate change plan that prices carbon. By cancelling Ontario’s participation in the cap and trade market, Ford is choosing a carbon tax over cap and trade.

“By choosing a federal carbon tax instead of an Ontario cap and trade deal, Ford is forcing Ontario households to pay more,” said Tabuns.

“Ford’s plan to have no plan fails Ontario three times over – with higher deficits, higher costs to every household in the province, and damage to our environment today, and for our children and grandchildren.”