Doug Ford to scrap Ontario's cap-and-trade program, fight Ottawa's carbon tax
Ford has consistently opposed carbon pricing and has come under fire for failing to explain how he would make up for the lost revenue
June 15, 2018 4:01 PM EDT
Last Updated
June 18, 2018 9:18 AM EDT

TORONTO — Doug Ford said Friday he will scrap Ontario’s cap-and-trade system and fight a federal carbon tax as soon as his Progressive Conservative cabinet is sworn in later this month because the measures hurt families and do nothing for the environment.

To that end, the incoming premier said he will give notice of Ontario’s withdrawal from the carbon pricing market it shares with Quebec and California when he takes office on June 29.

Ford, whose party won a majority of seats in last week’s election, said the government will provide clear rules for an “orderly wind down” of cap and trade, but did not specify when the legislature will be recalled to implement the bill needed to dismantle the system put in place by Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government.

“Today, I want to confirm that in Ontario the carbon tax’s days are numbered,” he said. “In fact, upon the swearing in of my new cabinet, at the top of our agenda the very first item will be to pass an order to cancel the Liberal cap-and-trade carbon tax.”

Ford also said he would challenge the federal government’s rules requiring provinces to have carbon pricing in place.

“I will (be) directing my attorney general to use all available resources, to use every power at the government’s disposal, we will officially challenge the federal government carbon tax on Ontario families,” he said. “Because the cap and trade and carbon tax does nothing for the environment.”

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