TORONTO — Rachel Doran, executive director of Clean Energy Canada, made the following statement in response to the provincial government’s proposed repeal of sections 3-5 of the Cap and Trade Cancellation Act, 2018 in the Fall Economic Statement 2025:
“Without setting new tangible objectives for how Ontario will succeed in the energy transition, the province’s removal of climate targets will be a short-sighted hit to our long-term competitiveness and economic prosperity. Instead, Ontario should use this moment to regroup, not retreat, on electrification by setting tangible objectives that will benefit Ontario businesses and ratepayers and set the province up for future success.
“We cannot turn away from electrification. Decarbonization is no longer just a moral imperative, but the cornerstone of economic competitiveness and the long-term fix for energy affordability and security. Two-thirds of global energy investment this year will go to clean technologies, and all of Canada’s 10 largest non-U.S. trade partners have net-zero commitments and carbon pricing systems.
“Renewables like solar, wind, and hydropower now provide over one-third of global electricity, overtaking coal, and are expected to meet 95% of demand growth between now and 2027. This is largely because in most markets around the world, solar PV or wind represent the cheapest available source of new electricity generation.
“But in Ontario, after measuring climate progress based on emissions targets for the past 18 years, the government has now made a sweeping repeal of the legislation requiring it to establish targets for emissions reductions, prepare a climate change plan, and report progress to the public in a transparent manner.
“Emissions targets have yielded progress. Policies already in place at all levels of government across Canada are projected to cut emissions 24% below 2005 levels by 2030. And these targets are not unachievable: the European Union announced only this week that it is on track to achieve its 2030 objectives. This kind of public signal provides investment certainty to business and helps drive our economy toward the kinds of products and investments the world will be wanting more of.
“There are ways to spur momentum in the energy transition that are simultaneously focused on the core issues that matter most to Ontarians. For example, setting clear goalposts for how Ontario will electrify households and businesses to help consumers save money over time, or maximizing renewables—the lowest cost option for new power—at a time when this government is subsidizing increasing electricity costs to spare ratepayers and taxpayers alike.
“The energy transition is creating global disruption in supply chains, and we need government leadership to set a marker for where our province is heading in the future. Yesterday’s announcement risks leaving us rudderless and without a map to the economy of the future.”
RESOURCES
Report | A Renewables Powerhouse: New research finds that wind and solar power with battery storage is set to produce cheaper electricity than natural gas in Alberta and Ontario
Report | Empowering Households: The small but mighty household is key to unlocking the energy transition
Report | The World Next Door: Aligning Canada’s economy with our new reality means building trade alliances beyond the U.S., where clean equals competitive
Media brief | What does net zero mean for household energy prices?