Ontario NDP tables motion to declare climate emergency

QUEEN’S PARK — The Ontario NDP has introduced a motion to declare a climate emergency in Ontario.

“Climate change is no longer only about our climate future. It is an imminent emergency. It is happening now,” said Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath.

“Ontarians are already witnessing the devastating consequences of climate change first hand. We have seen this in Bracebridge, Ottawa, and in the southwest where there has been significant flooding. We have seen this in tornadoes in eastern Ontario. We have seen this in wild fires in recent years. We need to take immediate and decisive action to tackle climate change.”

Research shows that the window for staving off the worst of effects of climate change is rapidly closing, and projections show that the cost of doing nothing is much greater than the cost of taking action. Passing the climate emergency motion is an opportunity for Doug Ford to reverse course and join the millions of Ontarians committed to fighting climate change.

“Declaring a climate emergency is an opportunity for Queen’s Park to change direction, and take on the biggest challenge humankind has ever faced,” said Horwath.

Since taking office, Ford has cancelled climate change mitigation programs including Ontario’s participation in the cap and trade market, cancelled conservation programs, scrapped green vehicle rebates, removed electric vehicle charging stations, and eliminated a program to plant 50 million trees – but it’s not too late to change course, and prioritize the fight against climate change, said Horwath.

Ontario would be the first Canadian province or territory to declare a climate emergency if the NDP motion passes. Several cities in Ontario and throughout the province have declared a climate emergency.