Latest news with #ToddMcCarthy
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ford says Ontario will do its 'very best' to hit key climate target after documents show it's off track
Premier Doug Ford says Ontario will try to hit its climate change targets by 2030, despite internal documents suggesting the province is not on track to meet the emissions reduction goals. Ford was responding to a report from CBC News that shows the province is projected to miss a key climate change target by three megatonnes of emissions in 2030. The premier said Ontario is working hard to hit the mark and committing to nuclear energy as a way to help green the province's electricity grid. "Our goal is always to hit 100 per cent and we'll do it as quickly as possible," Ford said on Friday. "That's our goal, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to do our very best to achieve it." Documents obtained by CBC News through a freedom of information request show Environment Minister Todd McCarthy was told in March that the province will fall short of hitting its target of a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. WATCH | Ontario claims it's on track to meet its 2030 climate targets. Internal docs say otherwise: McCarthy said earlier this month that Ontario would hit that mark. "We have a plan, and the plan is working," he said June 5. "We are on track to meet the target by 2030 of reducing the 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent. We're doing that by leading Canada." Ford also touted the province's plan to build four small modular nuclear reactors as part of the strategy to address climate change. But the first of those four reactors aren't projected to be in use until the end of 2030. "We're going to continue being leaders in nuclear and delivering clean green energy to the grid," he said. Liberal environment critic Mary-Margaret McMahon said the Ford government set itself back by cancelling green energy contracts after coming to power in 2018. And it hasn't done enough to address climate change since, she said. "I didn't realize the premier was a magician, because there's no way we're going to make those targets," she said of his comments on the climate targets. NDP environment critic Peter Tabuns slammed the premier, saying he doesn't have a plan to hit the climate change targets. Ford's pledge is an empty promise, he said in a statement. "The Premier's 'commitment' means nothing without real action," Tabuns said. "His own civil servants are telling him that his government won't meet his climate targets by a wide margin, and he has refused to admit that our province is falling behind." Meanwhile, Ford on Friday defended a review currently underway on the province's emissions rules. While the Progressive Conservative climate plan does not include a consumer carbon tax, it does have an emissions performance standards program, which charges "compliance payments" to induce businesses to lower emissions. The briefing documents obtained by CBC News say the ministry is currently "reviewing both regulation and (the) program in light of broader competitiveness concerns highlighted by U.S. tariff threats and possible changes in federal policy." Ford said the review will not lead to a watering down of environmental rules. "I can assure you, every single company, every single manufacturing company out there wants to be environmentally friendly," he said. "They want to reduce their emissions, they want to be net zero and everyone's trying, the market dictates, and we're going to support the market." But Greenpeace Canada spokesman Keith Stewart said relying on industry to take the lead on emissions reductions is unlikely to drive the necessary change. The government needs to establish and enforce firm standards, he added. "Allowing industry to set the pace means we're going to move far too slow," he said. Stewart said he's doubtful about the premier's pledge to hit Ontario's climate targets. The province's policies won't deliver the results needed to hit the target, he said. "I have a weight loss goal, but I was eating fries and beer yesterday," he said. "So you know, if you're not actually doing anything to achieve your goal, having a goal is not that helpful."
CBC
7 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Ford says Ontario will do its 'very best' to hit key climate target after documents show it's off track
Premier Doug Ford says Ontario will try to hit its climate change targets by 2030, despite internal documents suggesting the province is not on track to meet the emissions reduction goals. Ford was responding to a report from CBC News that shows the province is projected to miss a key climate change target by three megatonnes of emissions in 2030. The premier said Ontario is working hard to hit the mark and committing to nuclear energy as a way to help green the province's electricity grid. "Our goal is always to hit 100 per cent and we'll do it as quickly as possible," Ford said on Friday. "That's our goal, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to do our very best to achieve it." Documents obtained by CBC News through a freedom of information request show Environment Minister Todd McCarthy was told in March that the province will fall short of hitting its target of a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. WATCH | Ontario claims it's on track to meet its 2030 climate targets. Internal docs say otherwise: Ontario claims it's on track to meet its 2030 climate targets. Internal docs say otherwise 6 days ago Duration 2:27 Ontario civil servants have warned the environment minister that the province is not on track to meet its 2030 climate change emissions targets, despite the government's claims. CBC's Shawn Jeffords has the details. McCarthy said earlier this month that Ontario would hit that mark. "We have a plan, and the plan is working," he said June 5. "We are on track to meet the target by 2030 of reducing the 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent. We're doing that by leading Canada." Ford also touted the province's plan to build four small modular nuclear reactors as part of the strategy to address climate change. But the first of those four reactors aren't projected to be in use until the end of 2030. "We're going to continue being leaders in nuclear and delivering clean green energy to the grid," he said. Opposition critics say Ford has no credible plan Liberal environment critic Mary-Margaret McMahon said the Ford government set itself back by cancelling green energy contracts after coming to power in 2018. And it hasn't done enough to address climate change since, she said. "I didn't realize the premier was a magician, because there's no way we're going to make those targets," she said of his comments on the climate targets. NDP environment critic Peter Tabuns slammed the premier, saying he doesn't have a plan to hit the climate change targets. Ford's pledge is an empty promise, he said in a statement. "The Premier's 'commitment' means nothing without real action," Tabuns said. "His own civil servants are telling him that his government won't meet his climate targets by a wide margin, and he has refused to admit that our province is falling behind." Meanwhile, Ford on Friday defended a review currently underway on the province's emissions rules. While the Progressive Conservative climate plan does not include a consumer carbon tax, it does have an emissions performance standards program, which charges "compliance payments" to induce businesses to lower emissions. The briefing documents obtained by CBC News say the ministry is currently "reviewing both regulation and (the) program in light of broader competitiveness concerns highlighted by U.S. tariff threats and possible changes in federal policy." Premier says review will not weaken emissions standards Ford said the review will not lead to a watering down of environmental rules. "I can assure you, every single company, every single manufacturing company out there wants to be environmentally friendly," he said. "They want to reduce their emissions, they want to be net zero and everyone's trying, the market dictates, and we're going to support the market." But Greenpeace Canada spokesman Keith Stewart said relying on industry to take the lead on emissions reductions is unlikely to drive the necessary change. The government needs to establish and enforce firm standards, he added. "Allowing industry to set the pace means we're going to move far too slow," he said. Stewart said he's doubtful about the premier's pledge to hit Ontario's climate targets. The province's policies won't deliver the results needed to hit the target, he said.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ontario environment minister said 'we are on track' to meet 2030 climate targets. Internal docs disagree
Ontario is not on track to hit a key climate change target with less than five years to go, civil servants have told the province's new environment minister — information that appears to contradict his own statements since taking on the portfolio. The candid assessment from the public service was offered to Todd McCarthy in briefing documents obtained by CBC News through a freedom of information request. The minister was told in March that the province will fall short of hitting its target of a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. "With Ontario policies, recent preliminary projections show that Ontario's 2030 emissions are expected to be three (megatonnes) higher than the 2030 emission reductions target," civil servants warn. The report suggests Ontario has made progress on emissions reductions since 2022. But it notes that the pledge would require the province to reduce its emissions to 142 megatonnes, and it's currently on track to achieve a reduction to approximately 145 megatonnes of greenhouse gases by 2030. Civil servants also say that actual emissions will vary depending on "market forces, abatement costs and actions taken by industry in response to policies." The internal projections shared with McCarthy appear to contradict statements he made during Question Period at the legislature earlier this month. On June 5, under questioning from the NDP environment critic Peter Tabuns, McCarthy said the province would hit its climate change targets, lauding Premier Doug Ford's plan to bring down emissions. "We have a plan, and the plan is working," he said. "We are on track to meet the target by 2030 of reducing the 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent. We're doing that by leading Canada." McCarthy's office did not respond directly to questions about the contradiction in his statements and the ministry warnings. Spokesperson Alexandru Cioban said the province leads Canada in emissions reductions and "will continue to work to protect our environment, create good-paying jobs, and ensure Ontario remains the best place to live, work, and raise a family."Ontario launched its climate change plan in 2019, a year after it killed the previous Liberal government's cap and trade climate policy. While the Progressive Conservative plan does not have a consumer carbon tax, it does include an emissions performance standards program, which charges "compliance payments" to induce businesses to lower emissions. The briefing documents also say the ministry is currently "reviewing both regulation and (the) program in light of broader competitiveness concerns highlighted by U.S. tariff threats and possible changes in federal policy." Comments about risks associated with the program review have been redacted by the civil service. Tabuns said he's been skeptical of the government suggestions that they were on-track to meet their climate goals. "I don't know whether he reads his briefing book," he said of the minister. "I don't know whether he was simply being dishonest in the legislature, but either way, that's a real problem." Tabuns said the province's climate targets have always been weak, which makes not hitting them even worse. "Even if they'd met their target, it would be inadequate to protect us and to actually have Ontario do its fair share of lifting in the global fight to stem the climate crisis," he said. Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said the Ford government hasn't been honest with the public about the short-comings of its climate change plan. It was never going to be adequate to hit the 2030 emissions target, he said. "The reality is, Canada is on fire right now, and the Ford government is like an arsonist pouring more fuel on the fire," Schreiner said. "The people of Ontario are paying the price for it." Greenpeace Canada spokesperson Keith Stewart said he's not surprised to hear Ontario won't hit its climate targets. The government has made achieving them more difficult with its policies since it took office in 2018, he said. "They killed the carbon pricing, they killed most of the climate programs," he said. "They've been hell bent on building new highways, and they cancelled all the renewable energy contracts." Stewart urged the government to re-focus its efforts on addressing climate change by embracing renewable energy. "This government has never taken climate change seriously," he said. "They've never had a real climate change plan to meet their targets. People have been saying it for a long time, now their own internal documents are showing this."The findings in the briefing note are "disappointing and alarming," said Aliénor Rougeot, climate and energy senior program manager at Environmental Defence. The warning from civil servants should spark government action to meet the targets, she said. The PC government should re-double work to strengthen public transit, retro-fit homes and buildings, and de-carbonize the province's electricity grid with renewable energy, Rougeot said. "I think if the government hopes that this will go away it's a really big miscalculation," Rougeot said. "It's really underestimating just how upset my generation is ... at how on all fronts we are going to pay the high price for this government's policies."
CBC
25-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Ontario environment minister said 'we are on track' to meet 2030 climate targets. Internal docs disagree
Social Sharing Ontario is not on track to hit a key climate change target with less than five years to go, civil servants have told the province's new environment minister — information that appears to contradict his own statements since taking on the portfolio. The candid assessment from the public service was offered to Todd McCarthy in briefing documents obtained by CBC News through a freedom of information request. The minister was told in March that the province will fall short of hitting its target of a 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. "With Ontario policies, recent preliminary projections show that Ontario's 2030 emissions are expected to be three (megatonnes) higher than the 2030 emission reductions target," civil servants warn. The report suggests Ontario has made progress on emissions reductions since 2022. But it notes that the pledge would require the province to reduce its emissions to 142 megatonnes, and it's currently on track to achieve a reduction to approximately 145 megatonnes of greenhouse gases by 2030. Civil servants also say that actual emissions will vary depending on "market forces, abatement costs and actions taken by industry in response to policies." Projections appear to contradict environment minister statement The internal projections shared with McCarthy appear to contradict statements he made during Question Period at the legislature earlier this month. On June 5, under questioning from the NDP environment critic Peter Tabuns, McCarthy said the province would hit its climate change targets, lauding Premier Doug Ford's plan to bring down emissions. "We have a plan, and the plan is working," he said. "We are on track to meet the target by 2030 of reducing the 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent. We're doing that by leading Canada." McCarthy's office did not respond directly to questions about the contradiction in his statements and the ministry warnings. Spokesperson Alexandru Cioban said the province leads Canada in emissions reductions and "will continue to work to protect our environment, create good-paying jobs, and ensure Ontario remains the best place to live, work, and raise a family." WATCH | What's driving air pollution in Toronto?: What's contributing to Toronto's air pollution? 5 days ago Duration 1:59 Ontario launched its climate change plan in 2019, a year after it killed the previous Liberal government's cap and trade climate policy. While the Progressive Conservative plan does not have a consumer carbon tax, it does include an emissions performance standards program, which charges "compliance payments" to induce businesses to lower emissions. The briefing documents also say the ministry is currently "reviewing both regulation and (the) program in light of broader competitiveness concerns highlighted by U.S. tariff threats and possible changes in federal policy." Comments about risks associated with the program review have been redacted by the civil service. Provincial targets weak to begin with, NDP critic says Tabuns said he's been skeptical of the government suggestions that they were on-track to meet their climate goals. "I don't know whether he reads his briefing book," he said of the minister. "I don't know whether he was simply being dishonest in the legislature, but either way, that's a real problem." Tabuns said the province's climate targets have always been weak, which makes not hitting them even worse. "Even if they'd met their target, it would be inadequate to protect us and to actually have Ontario do its fair share of lifting in the global fight to stem the climate crisis," he said. Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said the Ford government hasn't been honest with the public about the short-comings of its climate change plan. It was never going to be adequate to hit the 2030 emissions target, he said. "The reality is, Canada is on fire right now, and the Ford government is like an arsonist pouring more fuel on the fire," Schreiner said. "The people of Ontario are paying the price for it." Highway construction, cancelled renewables will only hurt province: Greenpeace Greenpeace Canada spokesperson Keith Stewart said he's not surprised to hear Ontario won't hit its climate targets. The government has made achieving them more difficult with its policies since it took office in 2018, he said. "They killed the carbon pricing, they killed most of the climate programs," he said. "They've been hell bent on building new highways, and they cancelled all the renewable energy contracts." Stewart urged the government to re-focus its efforts on addressing climate change by embracing renewable energy. "This government has never taken climate change seriously," he said. "They've never had a real climate change plan to meet their targets. People have been saying it for a long time, now their own internal documents are showing this." WATCH | SCC won't hear climate case against Ontario government: Supreme Court decides not to hear youth-led climate case against Ontario government 2 months ago Duration 3:27 The Supreme Court of Canada has turned down Ontario's request to weigh in on a major challenge to its climate plan brought by a group of young activists. The decision means the challenge will instead be revived in an Ontario court. The findings in the briefing note are "disappointing and alarming," said Aliénor Rougeot, climate and energy senior program manager at Environmental Defence. The warning from civil servants should spark government action to meet the targets, she said. The PC government should re-double work to strengthen public transit, retro-fit homes and buildings, and de-carbonize the province's electricity grid with renewable energy, Rougeot said. "I think if the government hopes that this will go away it's a really big miscalculation," Rougeot said.
CTV News
23-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Ontario proposes to weaken impending new recycling rules over costs to producers
Old Metropolitan Toronto signage and Ontario provincial insignia are seen on a blue recycling box at the side of the street on a weekly collection day in Toronto, Tuesday, June 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government is proposing to weaken an impending slate of new recycling rules because producers of the materials said the system is getting too expensive. The province began transitioning in 2023 toward making producers pay for the recycling of their packaging, paper and single-use items. The companies' obligations were set to increase next year, but the government is now looking to delay some measures and outright cancel others, such as requirements to extend collection beyond the residential system. Environmental advocates say the proposed changes let producers off the hook and will mean more materials will end up in landfills or be incinerated. Producers say despite the rising costs, recycling rates don't actually appear to be improving, so it's time for a broader rethink. Environment Minister Todd McCarthy said the proposed changes are about ensuring the sustainability of the blue box system and protecting against unintended consequences such as job losses. 'We want to take what we've done and improve upon what already exists, but the costs were a big deal, and so we're proposing some measures that would bring about cost savings and transparency and improvement to accomplish the goal of recycling that we all want,' he said earlier this month. The Canadian Retail Council estimates that producer costs have already increased by about 350 per cent in three years and would nearly double again just from this year to next if no changes were made to the impending new rules for 2026. The government says blue box collection costs could more than double between 2020 and 2030. 'Cost increases of this magnitude were not anticipated when the regulation was passed in 2021 and have jeopardized the stability of the blue box system today,' it says in its proposal to change the rules. Currently, producers just have to make 'best efforts' to hit certain recycling rate percentages, such as 80 per cent of paper and 50 per cent of rigid plastic, and starting next year they are set to be enforceable. Then in 2030 those percentages are set to rise. But now the government is proposing to delay those 2026 targets to 2031. As well, Ontario is proposing to allow non-recyclable material that gets incinerated to count for up to 15 per cent of producers' recycling targets. Starting next year, producers are also supposed to be responsible for collecting material from more multi-residential buildings, and certain long-term care homes, retirement homes and schools. The government is now proposing to remove that requirement entirely. The same goes for a rule that would have made beverage producers responsible for containers not just dropped in a residential blue box but also those used outside the home, and a provision for producers to expand collection in public spaces. The intent behind the initial regulations was to incentivize producers to use less packaging and to use materials that can more easily be recycled, said Karen Wirsig, senior program manager for plastics with Environmental Defence. These changes would halt any progress on that score, she said. 'Municipalities have been saying for years, 'Our blue box is getting more and more filled with packaging types we can't even identify let alone properly sort ... because often they're made with mixed materials that are not easily recycled,'' Wirsig said. 'So because there was that disconnect between the producers who design all this packaging and the municipalities who are collecting it, there was no way to rationalize the system and improve packaging from an environmental and sustainability point of view. These regulations were intended to start doing that, and unfortunately, now all of the incentives are going the opposite direction.' The recycling of flexible plastics, which includes food wraps, pouches and bags, is a particular bone of contention and the government is proposing to both delay and reduce the target for that category. In a recycling facility, flexible plastics end up in all sorts of places because they're so light, getting stuck among paper or falling through the cracks of conveyor belts, said Michael Zabaneh, the Retail Council of Canada's vice-president of sustainability. Instead of a recycling target of 25 per cent taking effect next year, a target of five per cent would take effect in 2031 under the government's proposal for flexible plastics. That five per cent reflects the estimated current level of flexible plastic diversion, according to the government's regulatory proposal. It is silent on the current levels for all other materials. Those current levels are unknown, with the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority saying it will report on rates once the three-year transition is over. That is a big problem, said Zabaneh. 'We're all in the blind,' he said. 'I think you can't have a recycling system with accountability, (and not have) transparency and real data.' The main problem with the government's current system is that it allows for multiple administrators, said Zabaneh. Producers sign up with producer responsibility organizations, which help them meet their blue box obligations. There are four such organizations operating in Ontario, which just ends up complicating the system and making it more expensive, Zabaneh said. 'There's an administrative body to drive collection, but then processing is kind of a competitive thing, and this creates a very fragmented and inefficient system,' he said. 'It limits planning, it prevents collective investment, capital investment, so that's disincentivized, and you have a lot of added costs from logistics and audits, and that's why we have escalating costs.' Retail council members helped found and sit on the board of one producer responsibility organization so they have some idea of recycling rates from that, and based on that limited view the numbers look stagnant, the council says. Producers welcome the delayed targets, Zabaneh said, but it doesn't solve the core problem. Having a single producer responsibility organization would reduce costs and allow for greater transparency of recycling rates and financial performance, the retail council says. Canadian Beverage Association president Krista Scaldwell said their members want the system to be successful because recycling and recovery benefits companies as well as the environment. 'We want the aluminum and plastic back because we can make it into new containers,' she said. 'The members are very committed to sustainability initiatives, and so we need to understand what's creating the cost so that we can help support some change, so we can see improved recovery without escalating costs.' Comments on the regulatory registry proposal can be submitted until July 21. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2025. Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
