The end of Ontario’s lifetime of economic progress…
The Financial Post, May 17, 2016
To get an idea of what Ontario could look like a couple of decades out under Liberal energy minister Glen Murray’s “climate action plan” — which was revealed in detail in Monday’s Globe and Mail — who better to rely on than the man himself, Glen Murray?
Back in 2008, when he chaired the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy, Murray — along with his acting CEO, Alex Wood, now executive director of the Ontario Climate Change Directorate — offered up a plan that looked remarkably similar to the new Liberal cabinet document. In fairness, the NRTEE document hardly offered the perniciously micro-managed prescriptions for people and businesses that Murray has graduated to now. And this new plan, billed by the Liberals as a “once-in-a-lifetime transformation” for Ontario’s economy, may also prove the end of Ontario’s lifetime of economic progress. In an era where assisted dying is the big thing with Liberals, this could be the first case where it’s tried on a province.
The leaked cabinet document, reportedly signed-off on by Premier Kathleen Wynne, lists a jaw-dropping 80 or so policies including: The eventual ban on heating new homes and buildings with natural gas, with only electric or geothermal being legal; $4 billion to be doled out by a “green bank,” funded by carbon taxes, to subsidize retrofits of buildings to get them off natural gas; the requirement that homes undergo an “energy-efficiency audit” before they can be sold; and a stack of rules, regulations and handouts to get an electric car into every two-car household within eight years, including rebates, free electric charging, and plug-in stations at every liquor store. Naturally, there will be billions more in traditional government-spending programs on public transit, bike paths, upgrades for schools and hospitals, and “research” funds and centres of climate excellence, not to mention new ethanol fuel standards that will gratify the Liberals’ top corporate donors in the biofuel lobby.
Read the full Comment here.
7 Comments
Pat Cusack
If electricity was free or subsidised for electric cars we would either be taxed more or pay higher rates still. These same people control what is taught in schools including math.. Bernie
ScepticalGord
Here’s a new type of “math” for schools courtesy of the Toronto Star:
http://www.classroomconnection.ca/climatechange.html
Sommer
On this same topic, there is an article on wattsupwiththat.org
The comments are well worth the time. I am absolutely embarrassed with the ‘leadership’ in Ontario. Their lack of cost/benefit analysis and their shallow understanding of climate change is appalling.
If we really care about our collective future in Ontario, we need to act NOW.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/05/16/ontario-climate-plan-leaked-all-new-homes-to-use-electric-heating-by-2030/
Barbara
At last an international conversation has begun.
If a “sustainability” plan such as this goes ahead, then this same thing can be done elsewhere in the world.
Don’t be embarrassed to participate. Silence won’t accomplish much.
ScepticalGord
Does the Ontario Liberal’s “Climate Action Plan” mean the 17 or so new gas plants that they just finished building will be cancelled?
Quick, call David Livingston and Laura Miller, start deleting those emails!
Parker Gallant
Germany with a population of over 80 million versus Ontario with 13 million has passed a law that provides incentives to electric vehicle buyers but it is only 4,000 euros versus the $14,000 Ontario is offering and they are only looking to have 400,000 EVs and Hybrids on the road versus the 1.7 million Ontario is looking for. They are also getting the auto makers to pay for half of the subsidy.
Article is here: http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-autos-electric-germany-idUKKCN0Y90UN
Barbara
And part of the “sustainability” plan!