Ontario to adopt ‘cap and trade system’ on limiting greenhouse gas emissions

Premier Kathleen Wynne will announce Monday she is joining forces with Quebec on carbon pricing, adopting the “cap and trade” system that sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions.

Thestar.com
April 10, 2015

Premier Kathleen Wynne will announce Monday she is joining forces with Quebec on carbon pricing, adopting the “cap and trade” system that sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions by polluters.

The announcement, which has been expected for months, will set the stage for a letter of intent to be signed later Monday when Wynne arrives in Quebec City to join Premier Philippe Couillard ahead of a climate change summit Tuesday.

Quebec formally adopted the cap and trade system last year, and has linked its market with California under the Western Climate Initiative. Ontario is also a member of the group, but has delayed any final implementation since 2008.

Cap and trade discourages emissions through a complex system of credits and levies. Last November, Wynne signed an agreement to share information on cap and trade with Couillard and learn from Quebec’s experience, telegraphing that Queen’s Park was aligning itself with its neighbour.

As reported by the Star last January, Monday’s announcement was timed to come just ahead of the Quebec summit. It comes after a two-month public consultation period that ended in late March, but will not be implemented for many more months and likely not until next year.