ENVIRONMENTAL ROLLBACKS – Yours To Protect

ENVIRONMENTAL ROLLBACKS

Revoked Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan, cap-and-trade system, and associated programs for homeowners, schools, and municipalities to reduce carbon emissions and energy expenses

Repealed the Green Energy Act. Many feel the legislation will do nothing to lower electricity prices, but will negatively impact job creation and investment in the province.

Cancelled 758 renewable energy projects and made it much more difficult to build new clean, renewable energy from solar, wind, and other sources to feed into Ontario’s electrical grid.

Will spend $35 million of taxpayer money to fight the federal carbon tax in court, through advertising and via stickers in gas stations.

Eliminates the position of the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, the province’s independent environmental watchdog, and merges the office with the office of the Auditor General. Reporting on climate change and energy conservation is no longer mandatory under Bill 57, and environmental protection reporting is now under the control of the Auditor General.

Removes electric vehicle chargers from GO station parking lots.

The Toxics Reduction Act (TRA) completely repealed by 2021 (halted implementation of some of its provisions immediately). This was Schedule 5 of Bill 66.

Cut 70% of the funding from Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre. The AOFRC is a scientific information technical support body with biologist and fishery technicians that provides fisheries services to the 40 Anishinabek First Nations in Ontario.

Guts the Endangered Species Act as part of Bill 108, More Homes, More Choice Act. Changes to the act allows developers to pay to build on land where species-at-risk live; creates the ability to suspend protection outright and undermines the science-based assessment of a species’ risk of extinction.

Limiting or excluding meaningful public participation. Proposed amendments limit or exclude public participation in Environmental Assessments and at the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT – formerly the OMB). Local knowledge is valuable and public involvement fundamental to democratic decision making.

Parkland amounts will be reduced due to Bill 108.

Changes to the Growth Plan allow settlement boundary expansions onto farmland. In southern Ontario we are already losing 175 acres of farmland daily mainly to urbanization.

Cut funding for provincial flood programs by 50%.

Changes to Conservation Authorities that will severely limit their ability to protect our watersheds and keep Ontario resilient to climate change.

Cut all funding for the 50 Million Tree Program

Schedule 6 in Bill 108 exempts potentially important projects/activities from an assessment of environmental impacts.