Ontario environment minister to meet with federal counterpart in Toronto

TORONTO – The federal environment minister is set to meet with her Ontario counterpart in Toronto today where they are expected to discuss the province’s new plan to address climate change.

The Progressive Conservative government’s plan, unveiled last week, replaces the cap-and-trade system brought in by the previous Liberal regime and does not put a price on carbon.

READ MORE: Ontario government to unveil climate change plan

The new plan will use taxpayer dollars to spur private investment in clean technologies and create performance standards for large emitters.

Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna has urged Ontario to enact a carbon pricing plan, a federal requirement that Premier Doug Ford has consistently pushed back on.

READ MORE: Ontario weakening environmental oversight by merging watchdog with auditor: Advocates

Ontario has launched a legal challenge of Ottawa’s plan to impose a carbon tax on provinces that don’t have their own carbon pricing systems.

In addition to meeting with provincial Environment Minister Rod Phillips today, McKenna will also be delivering a speech in Toronto
this afternoon.

VIDEO: Minister of the Environment presents Ontario’s climate change plan without a carbon tax